17-07-2025
LR share spoils with Maine Road side
Atherton LR bounced back their weekend pre-season loss with a second-half comeback to take a 2-2 draw away from their home game against Maine Road on Tuesday night.
Ahead of the game, LR announced the trialist goalkeeper who featured in the Bury and Barnton game, former Shakers Under-23s player Sam Jones, had now joined the club.
The hosts started well against the Division One North side, although high pressing from the Maine Road forwards gave a sign of things to come
LR struck first as on 25 minutes when Cal Hunter received a lofted ball from George Chadwick and made a quick turn to angle his body and bury the ball past the keeper's near post.
Yellows defender Abiola Obasoto enjoyed a good game, not only defending well but making forward runs down the flanks and supplying chances.
However, Maine Road would soon level as a passing triangle at the edge of the box was laid off to Sam Wrigley who with space, turned and curled a well-taken shot past Jones on 34 minutes.
And only four minutes later the visitors were ahead when some poor man-marking by LR allowed James Horan to take a wild shot which bounced over Jones' head to put the Sky Blues in front.
LR started more lively after the interval with the early introduction of Joe Bacon, Tom Lawless and Kieran Alley working well together on the flanks.
Lawless faced a few chances supplied by Lenehan and Alley but all were agonisingly wide.
That was until Alley made a brilliant run down the right and lifted a picture-perfect cross to Lawless whose header hit the back of the net 12 minutes from time to earn a share of the spoils.
LR boss Dave Jones said: 'I saw the goals from the first-half and it's us not turning the ball over, not getting in the right positions and the transition not being good enough - so those are things we need to continue to work on.'
LR will travel to Darwen on Saturday for their penultimate friendly (2pm).
