Tactical switch pays off for Heyside

AERIAL DUEL: Carl Taylor (right), of Heyside, beats Kirkheaton Rovers rival Dan Harris to the ball.

FOOTBALL:

Heyside 3, Kirkheaton Rovers 3

JASON Titterington’s late strike secured a point for Heyside in Division Two of the Huddersfield and District League at Royton and Crompton 3G.

But Heyside secretary John Norbury admitted that it was two points lost against fellow promotion contenders Kirkheaton Rovers.

Norbury said: “We are joint third in the table with games in hand, but in this division points on the board counts for a lot.

“We are still in with a shout — fingers crossed — and though we played well it is a case of two points lost.”

Heyside have come close to making it to the top flight for several seasons and you get the feeling that this could well be their year.

Poor defending from a corner allowed Rovers to take the lead four minutes before half-time, but an own-goal brought Heyside level six minutes after the restart.

Matty Crothers fired in a fierce, low cross which a Rovers defender turned into his own net.

That goal served to inspire Heyside, who took the lead nine minutes later when Carl Taylor slotted home a spot-kick after Leon Perry had been upended.

Rovers were level in the 73rd minute following another flag-kick and, all of a sudden, the visitors gained a second wind.

Careless loss of possession by Heyside presented Rovers with a third goal with nine minutes to go, forcing Heyside manager Mick Cummins into a tactical move in an attempt to get something out of the game.

That switch saw Titterington pushed forward into an attacking role. It proved a masterstroke as the defender’s close-range strike earned his side what could well be a vital point in the race for promotion.