Premier League - Saturday 6th February 2010

Cowfold staged a remarkable second half fight back to rescue a well deserved point against a good University side. With no indication of what was to follow Cowfold started the game well and did not allow the visitors to settle. For the first 25 minutes it was the home side that made all the running, with Nigel Smith looking lively up front and it looked as if it was a question of when rather than if they would take the lead. However the University team had showed good movement going forward and they took the lead against the run of play with a superbly taken left foot shot from the edge of the box that went in off the post. The goal left debutant 17 year old goalkeeper James Rafferty with no chance. The goal rocked Cowfold who soon conceded a second when they allowed the lively University forward to walk through into the box before slotting home. With Cowfold looking for the half time whistle the lead was further extended when from a corner the ball was forced home from close range. 0-3 down at half time the game looked lost.

Cowfold knew that they needed an early goal to get them back into the game and with substitutes Dan Dalton and Luke Tarrant both making a difference it was Nigel Smith who pulled one back after great work by Dan Dalton down the left. Suddenly Cowfold grew in confidence and took control of the game. The second goal came from a Craig Deane header from a corner and it was a question of whether they could get another goal before the final whistle to earn a remarkable draw. The equaliser came when the referee awarded a penalty in the last couple of minutes after the goalkeeper brought down Luke Tarrant. The tension was extended when Tim Martin saw his penalty saved by the goalkeeper but the referee ordered it to be retaken after seeing the goalkeeper move from his line too early. Martin made no mistake the second time to secure the most unlikely of draws.