Once again, Jamie Lamming’s squad was a much changed one. With the first team missing a number of players, the reserve’s top scorer Jack Baxter stepped up to the first team along with centre back Karl Porter. Unavailable for Town was Ryan Nunn, Alec Enderby, Will Carter, James Blondel, George Swift and goalkeeper Liam Smith. However the returning to the squad was Ryan Gryniewicz, Andrew Bullivant and under 18s captain Tom Watson. Joe Wilkinson also made the step up from the 18s.

It was unusual conditions for the players with the game being played on an artificial 3G surface, and both sides took a while to get a foothold in the game, with neither side being able to apply any significant pressure. The home side began to stretch the Town defence and started to look more of a threat going forward, and they took the lead when a cross from the right skimmed the cross bar and from a tight angle the Rustons winger fired the ball past stand in keeper, Daryl Dunn.

Rustons came close to doubling their lead with five minutes remaining of the half, but a last ditch covering tackle from Callum Low and a strike over the bar from the rebound meant the whistle for the half time saw just a 1-0 lead for the hosts.

Horncastle came out in the second half with much more of a purpose and to get better service to the strikeforce of Burchnall and Cheetham. The game should have been levelled 10 minutes into the half when a cross from the right was perfect for Josh Cheetham on the edge of the six yard box, but he failed to convert and headed the ball wide of the post. But it wasn’t long before Town did find the equaliser when Andrew Bullivant curled a precision placed cross from the left with his weaker right foot giving captain Scott Maplethorpe an easy opportunity at the back post and made no mistake to head home from close range.

Horncastle continued to press in search of a winner, but had to be aware of the counter attack. The Town defence of Lamming, Maplethorpe, Watson and Low were proving difficult to pass however, with the 18 year old Tom Watson particularly in fine form. With 15 minutes remaining Town made their only substitute of the game, when Joe Wilkinson replaced Daniel Bodily on the wing to make his senior debut for the club.

With 5 minutes remaining the final chance of the game went to Horncastle when Ryan Gryniewicz got onto the end of a long ball out from the back, but aware of the oncoming keeper he failed to direct his lobbed effort into the goal and the ball went wide of the post.
The final whistle blew to bring the game to an end with the same result as the reverse fixture just a fortnight ago, 1-1. The point now takes Horncastle above Saxilby Athletic in the league and off bottom spot.

Horncastle’s second string now have a three week break until they return to action when they play host to The Blues Club in the semi-final of the Amateur Cup.

Team: Dunn, Lamming, Watson, Maplethorpe, Low, Bodily (Wilkinson), Wilson, Bullivant, Gryniewicz, Cheetham, Burchnall.