“We were the better side for the second half again.” Palmer said. “ A bit more confidence in ourselves and a few more things going our way, we would have won that. It was a great strike by Adam, and I thought Ali had done the same. We targeted four points from the first six games as we knew they were tough ones, so I’m pleased we achieved that. Now we can kick on.”

Both sides played an open attacking game. The Gingerbreads faced into a stiff breeze for the first half but created the first chance. From a long throw, Mason Lee got the ball to Ali Aydemir. From s cross, Nathan Modest missed a header when he should have hit the target. The Gingerbreads got the ball back into the danger zone, but Adam Watson also missed the target.

Basford reacted well and began to control the game. James Clinton started to run things for the visitors in the centre, while James Revernel gave the Gingerbreads right hand side a torrid time with pace and tricky runs. A cross from the right dropped to an unmarked Kane Richards after 7 minutes, but the Basford striker’s shot hit his own man and Grantham cleared their lines.

The visitors forced three corners in the first ten minutes and skipper Matthew Thornhill will think he should have done better when he made an untracked run to meet a flag kick. A free header somehow stayed out of the Grantham net.

Thornhill’s involvement in the game ended on 16 minutes when a clash of heads inside the Grantham penalty area led to four minutes of added first half time and the Basford captain leaving the field in need of hospital treatment.

Grantham almost took advantage while Basford were reorganising. Chapman turned in midfield to make s[ace and start the move that led to Lee curling a shot at Adam Collin in the Basford goal.

Nico De Girolamo did enough to break up a promising move involving Marcus Marshall and Richards after 23 minutes, then Revernel stole the ball from Joshua Meade, but overplayed it when he was in a great position to deliver another cross into the Grantham penalty area.

Revernel had hit a shot just wide before he started the move that led to the opening goal for Basford on 31 minutes. He beat the Grantham defence again, but had his shot blocked, an effort from Alex Howes was also blocked, but fell to Clifton who fired home.

Chapman influenced the Grantham comeback, twice in the first half he was involved in moves that Grantham failed to finish. First his cross after a long throw came back to him found Aydemir , but he shot well over the top. On the stroke of half time, Chapman had a go himself from a free kick. The ball kicked up, but Collin reacted well to hold the effort.

A bright start to the second half could have seen Basford extend their lead. They had two chances in the first five minutes. Revernel again started a move that involved Marshall and Richards. Rory Coleman made a great tackle to deny Richards and Marshall hit the follow up into the side netting. A couple of minutes later when Grantham gave the ball away trying to clear their lines, Clifton’s shot was deflected and somehow, unmarked four yards out, Howes missed the target.

Adam Watson and DeGirolamo became the next to suffer head injuries, Watson completing the game with his head bandaged after the clash involving the two Gingerbreads.

Chapman levelled the game on 63 minutes with a superb strike. He collected the ball 30 yards from goal and let fly with a rocket that arrowed across Collin into the top corner of the net.

Chapman started to control the centre of midfield and five minutes after the goal, took the ball from Watson and sent Aydemir away. The winger looked up and tried to curl his shot beyond Collin. His judgment was marginally off, and the ball flew a foot past the post with the Basford goalkeeper beaten.

Any danger that Basford posed as the game wore on was snuffed out by Jim Pollard. His judgement and determination was perfect on a series of crosses pumped into the Grantham penalty area. Pollard was quickly out to take the high ball before Basford could pressure the Grantham defence.

Modest had two late chances to take all three points for Grantham. On a 81st minute break, Michael Williams and Mason Lee set Most up, but his header was at Collin. Five minutes later, Aydemir and Modest refused to give up on a ball on the edge of the Basford penalty area and Modest got a shot away, but Collin again took it easily. When Collin made a good save to get down low and stop Lee’s drive as the game went into injury time, Grantham knew they would have to settle for a point.

Report by Graham Cowell
Photo Courtesy of Mark Goodale