Vauxhall Motors 1-1 Hinckley United

Feb 17 2010 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

VAUXHALL earned a valuable point in their fight for survival with a battling performance against third placed Hinckley United.

The Motormen looked set to grab their second victory of the week until Hinckley’s Andy Hall popped up with an equaliser in the 90th minute.

The home side took the lead on seven minutes when prolific striker Lee Furlong latched onto Chris Lane’s through ball and calmly slotted past the onrushing Chris Mackenzie to score his 13th goal of the season.

Hinckley should have equalised on 33 minutes when Eribenne crossed from the right and Alex Taylor somehow put the ball over the bar from four yards out.

On 38 minutes, Vauxhall nearly extended their lead when Tranmere loanee Josh Macauley held the ball up well, then slid the ball through to Furlong who found himself one on one with Mackenzie again but this time the keeper came out on top.

Hinckley made a couple of substitutions at half-time as they looked to get back into the game and always looked dangerous going forward.

Both sides continued to create chances and on 80 minutes Vauxhall defender Brian Moogan cut in from the left and hit a right foot shot from 10 yards, however Mackenzie pulled off another fine save.

Just a minute later and Hinckley nearly equalised when Taylor hit a rasping left foot shot which went inches past Coates’s left hand post.

Just as Vauxhall thought they had all three points wrapped up, Hinckley hit the Motormen on the break in the final minute when Dan Dillon played a great through ball to Andy Hall who outpaced Moogan and cleverly lobbed Coates from 18 yards out.

PHIL JARVIS