Maltby Main Football Club
Two late goals denied Main 3 vital points in a narrow 2-1 defeat at Long Eaton, a result that may leave Main depending on other results to remain in the top flight.
Main midfielder Mick Jones hit an early chance wide and the home side tested the Main defence with Will Mellors-Blair twice shooting wide.
Michael Armstrong hit a long range effort wide and striker Elliott King had shot deflected before Craig Gladwin tried his luck from 20 yards with a shot that was straight at home keeper Scott Webb.
Main took the lead in the 32nd minute with a well worked goal. Lee Whittington reacted quickest to sweep the ball into the bottom corner of the net after Jon Wragg had flicked on Jones' long throw from the right into the United box.
Main 'keeper Andy Carney made 2 good saves to keep Main in the lead, first tipping over Armstrong's shot and then pushing King's shot around the post.
In the final 2 minutes of the half Rob Branagan set up Lee Whittington but his shot was deflected and Wragg headed wide from a Jones cross.
Main enjoyed a short period of early 2nd half pressure, with Lee Whittington having a shot cleared off the line and a goalbound shot deflected.
Sam Foulds hit a low shot that forced Webb to save well and Lee Whittington had another shot from wide     
on the left deflected wide of the target.
United went close in the 67th minute but Jon Bownes was on hand to hack Shaun Rickford's header from a corner off the line.
A minute later, Main had a goal disallowed for a push in the build up after Wragg had forced the ball over the line.
With 11 minutes remaining, it was all square when Mellors-Blairs cashed in on a mistake in the box, sidefooting in after Carney was slow to react to a high ball into the box.
Then, in the final minute of normal time, Jimmy Hunter smashed the ball into the bottom corner at the back post after getting on the end of Jacob Webster's cross from the left.

Main: Andy Carney, Jon Wragg, Scott Mellon (captain)(Paul Lavender 75). Jon Bownes, Reece Wesley, Sam Foulds, Greg Mason, Mick Jones, Rob Branagan (Danny McKenzie 83), Lee Whittington, Craig Gladwin (Scott Whittington 86)
Unused subs: Gary Middleton, Ben Langford
Saturday 21 April 2012
Northern Counties East League Premier Division
Long Eaton United (0) 2 Maltby Main (1) 1
Reporter:
Chris Hulley