Match Report

Darwen fought back late on to earn a 2-2 draw away from home against Fulwood Amateurs.

An opening 45-minute stalemate set up a dramatic four-goal second half, as Spencer Lucas and Charlie Howarth gave the hosts a firm lead, before a Sam Braithwaite red card and a Bruno Severino brace stole a point on the road for the Salmoners.

It was the visitors who had the better of the chances early on, Joshua Abbott and Nick Hepple both having seen efforts turned away in quick succession.

Darwen did have the ball in the net 25 minutes in, after Severino’s cross found Abbott for a simple finish, but the attack was called back for an apparent offside in the build-up.

A five minute period of pressure amounted to nothing when Lucas’ effort sailed over the bar from close range, but it was the home side who carried the momentum into the second half.

The No.9 was involved again in front of goal on the hour mark, this time when he converted from the penalty spot to give Fulwood the lead.

Only three minutes later the hosts had doubled their advantage, as Howarth took full advantage of a poorly controlled long ball and rolled an effort past a helpless Louis Hood.

Braithwaite’s timely dismissal at 2-0 wasn’t looking as if it was going to help turn fortunes around until the resistance finally broke after 86 minutes.

Severino timed his run well to meet Pawel Zuk’s cross in a crowded penalty area, before he turned the ball goalward to give the visitors a fighting chance late on.

Substitute Akim Samms came within inches of an equaliser with a fantastic effort from the edge of the box, but it was Darwen’s magnifico who stole the show once more, four minutes into added time.

With the clock being ran down Severino popped up in the box yet again, this time to collect Mohamed Wassa’s pass and fire the ball into the bottom corner for his sixth league goal of the season.

The dramatics meant that the Salmoners made their way back into the top half of the NWCFL First Division North table, as they moved into ninth place to trail the play-off places by just three points.