Beer Albion first team earned a valuable point away at fellow strugglers Sidbury United in an entertaining hard-fought contest that ended all square at 1-1, writes Richard Honnor.

The Fishermen produced one of their best performances of the season and will be disappointed that they did not get the victory as they spurned several good chances to finish the game off.

The game was marred by a couple of bad-tempered incidents which unfortunately detracted somewhat from what was an entertaining game of football.

In a closely contested first half, Sidbury started with a strong wind at their backs, but it was Beer who mastered the conditions better by getting the ball down and playing to feet.

Striker Richard Walker was prominent in most of Beer’s early attacking play, skilfully holding the ball up, laying it off and executing some great through passes.

It was from such a pass that skipper Sam Phillips almost opened the scoring on 26 minutes, but his shot across goal was well saved by the Sidbury keeper.

Immediately thereafter Sidbury fashioned their first real attempt, a looping header just wide of keeper Mike Westlake’s left post.

As the first half wore on Beer began to get control of the game and on 34 minutes Walker’s header from a Pedro Fontes corner looked goal-bound but was brilliantly saved by Sidbury’s keeper.

Then, on 41 minutes it was Walker again turning the defender and shooting just wide from 12-yards.

Just before the break Beer were almost caught on the break when a clearance from Sidbury’s keeper was not dealt with and Westlake had to make a good save from a deflected shot.

Immediately after the break, Beer almost conceded when the ball was given away on the edge of the penalty box, but then the Fishermen really began to dominate with some excellent football.

With wing back Josh Harrison enjoying his best game of the season making some strong surges down the left and midfielder Fontes taking control of the midfield, the Fishermen carved out but failed to convert some good chances.

On 55 minutes Phillips had a free kick deflected for a corner. Then Walker hooked his shot just wide. On 59 minutes, substitute Tom Neale headed just over and soon after found himself one-on-one with the home side’s keeper but failed to convert.

Eventually Beer took the lead on 71 minutes when a good through ball from Ollie Morgan was controlled by Walker who then turned two Sidley defenders and rifled home left-footed from 15 yards.

Then Beer switched off for 10 minutes and were almost caught on the break twice before Sidbury equalised on 80 minutes.

A long through-ball held up in the swirling wind allowing a Sidbury forward to get between the Beer defence, take the ball round Westlake and tap in from close range.

Back came Beer and they almost clinched the win when Joe Adkin’s shot from an acute angle was saved. Just before the end of the game the Sidbury coach and substitute were both sent off following a dispute over a refereeing decision!

On Saturday (December 12), Sidbury visit The Furzebrake for the return fixture. Kick off is at 2:15 p.m. and the match sponsor is Woozie’s Deli, Fore St, Beer.