Monmouthshire Windows

East Gwent League, Division 1

Severn Tunnel 3 Thornwell Red & White A 3

A RORY Garey penalty midway through the second half earned a point for Thornwell after they let a two-goal lead slip, writes Bob Cypher.

Tunnel were missing a number of key players through injury with Tom Atkins, Will Morgan, keeper Sam Morgan and skipper Nathan Wheeler all sidelined.

Despite that, they equalled the visitors for effort in the first half, but two goals in as many minutes had them on the ropes.

Thornwell took the lead thanks to an own goal and followed it up with a strike by Tudor Morgan-Huggett who managed to get his shot away as he fell inside Tunnel’s penalty area.

Ben Corbett was particularly active on Tunnel’s left flank and provided a number of good crosses to test Tunnel’s defence.

But the home side cut the deficit just before the break when a somewhat speculative lob from out on on the left touchline sailed over keeper Jordan Doyle and dropped in at the far post.

The second half was marred by the dismissals of two players, one from each side, but Tunnel striker Jordan Griffiths and Kyle McCabe saw the home side level and then take the lead for the first time in the match.

Thornwell sent on Kyle Gettings and when the speedy front man was brought down in the area, Garey stepped up to despatch the spot-kick past team coach Paul Light who was deputising for Sam Morgan.

Both teams tried hard to score the winner on a pitch badly cut-up by someone using it as a quad-bike test bed during the week, but neither were able to find the killer strike.

Tunnel boss Paul Lovell said his injured players were missed.

“After gifting them the lead I thought we fought back well to take the lead,” he said.

“When we have the injured players fit again, we'll have more options in every part of the team and I’m sure we will do well this season.”

The result leaves Thornwell in third place, a point and a superior goal difference ahead of Tunnel.

Caldicot Castle A, 4-0 winners at Portskewett & Sudbrook A, are a further point ahead but four points adrift of leaders Iscoed Tafarn who beat visiting Monmouth Town 4-1.