After being well-beaten away at Elmore last week, Beer Albion put up a much improved display in the return fixture at the Furzebrake on Saturday to share the points in a 1-1 draw, writes Richard Honnor.

The Fishermen have not been in the best of form lately and it showed early on as they made an apprehensive start. They seemed content to let Elmore attack and just soak up the pressure with some stubborn defending. It wasn’t a great spectacle but by and large Elmore were restricted to long range efforts which did not trouble the Albion keeper, Steve Jones. That said, the visitors would have been disappointed not to be in front at half time, particularly from corners where Beer looked vulnerable and when their striker Andrew Murphy shot wide from close range. Beer’s only worthwhile efforts in this half came from free-kicks. Firstly Ollie Morgan tested Elmore keeper from 20 yards and then just on half-time from a similar distance Richard Walker’s quickly-taken effort went inches wide of the left-hand post.

Player-manager Walker’s half-time team talk must have been impressive because Beer came out with great purpose and determination after the break. Working to a plan, strikers James Melville and Walker pushed higher up the pitch and Beer bombarded the Elmore defence with long balls and the approach started to unsettle the Elmore defence. The Fishermen’s midfield were now closing down more quickly, denying Elmore space and time to play their football. After 55 minutes, Walker gave Beer the lead with a great turn and strike into the top left corner after a long throw from Harrison and clever flick by Jacob Clode at the near post.

Back came Elmore and despite some brave Beer defending, the visitors equalised on 65 minutes, Murphy scoring with a low shot from 15 yards after good work by the visitors down the left. The game was now very open with Beer going close through Phillips and Foster, and Elmore being denied by some desperate interceptions by the Beer back line. With minutes to go tempers on both sides erupted following an incident on the touchline. Referee Peter Hardy red-carded two players; an Elmore striker and, bizarrely, Beer substitute Michael Westlake who had not yet been called into action on the field of play!

There were some good performances for Beer all across the park with Kieran Love and Ollie Morgan inspirational in a well-earned draw.