Attacking midfielder Jason Cowburn takes the ball forward for the Weston Bears yesterday.
There were mixed emotions for the Weston Bears at Thomas and Coffey Park yesterday.
Midfielder Nathan Morris scored his second late goal in as many weeks to salvage a 2-all draw with Edgeworth but the Bears were forced to fight back after relinquishing a one-goal lead earlier in proceedings.
It was a chance gone begging for maximum points in the State League competition, according to Darren Elkin, coach of the sixth-placed Bears.
“A point doesn’t help us at the moment,” Elkin said after the round 12 fixture.
“We needed the three points but there isn’t much we can do about it now.”
At 1-0 up the outlook was looking much brighter for the Bears midway through the opening half after a neat finish from striker Michael Ryan.
But 15 minutes into the second stanza the Eagles netted back-to-back chances and gained the upper hand out in the middle and on the score board.
In the closing stages dead ball specialist Morris stepped up, curling it beyond the outstretched goal keeper and into the top left hand corner from 22 yards out in front.
“It was a very well taken free kick,” Elkin said.
This came seven days after Morris had finished a penalty at a similar stage of the game, but this had resulted in a 2-1 victory against Lake Macquarie.
Yesterday’s result keeps Weston (13) in sixth place on the competition ladder but they are now eight points outside the top five with six games remaining in the regular season. Edgeworth (10) sits a further win back in seventh spot.
In other results from the Northern NSW Football competition yesterday Charlestown City upset league leaders Broadmeadow 3-1, South Cardiff overcame Lake Macquarie 2-1 and Hamilton defeated Valentine 2-0 while last-placed West Wallsend was smashed
4-0 by the Newcastle Jets Youth team.