Old Headingley 1
Nostell Miners Welfare 2

Leading and in control with moments left before half time, Old Headingley's inability to capitalise on their dominance cost them dearly against visitors who were stout in defence and took their chances well when they presented themselves.

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With veteran striker Oli Seed restored to the starting lineup in attack and Tim Manuel retaining his place in defence, Headingley's lineup was not lacking in experience, and in the early stages as the former bustled and harried Nostell's defenders while the latter coolly marshalled Edmonds and Williams alongside him in taming the visitors' attacking threat, the signs were promising.

After an opening twenty minutes in which Gillick went close from just inside the penalty area, Headingley took the lead through the diminutive Andy Hallam.

A long throw was flicked on at the near post, and with Nostell's keeper stranded the striker rose highest to nod home into the middle of the goal from 5 yards out.

This should have been the cue for Headingley to take the game by the scruff of the neck, and to an extent they did this, leaving the visitors penned back for long spells. However, when Sean Tyers got on the end of a free kick from the left only to head wide with the goal at his mercy, it proved to be a major turning point.

As half time approached, Headingley again spurned another good position as three players passed up shooting opportunities twenty yards out and two passes later Leigh Fearn was picking the ball out of his net. A previously unthreatening Nostell striker got on the end of a long pass to perfectly lob the 'keeper and with this goal bursting the bubble of what seemed a certain home win, the stuffing was well and truly knocked out of the hosts.

Emerging for the second half determined to regain their advantage, Headingley now found themselves playing an opponent who possessed a new found belief and whose centre halves began to snuff out any threat the home team carried. Nonetheless, the contest appeared certain to be heading for a draw as the half progressed, with chances for both sides being at a premium.

It was difficult to tell which team was the more surprised when with fifteen minutes to go, Nostell's makeshift centre forward somehow engineered a cross out of nothing which was turned goalwards six yards out and gently rolled into the corner of Fearn's net to give the away team an advantage they would not give up.

Headingley huffed and puffed, but set pieces and Seed's long throws aside, they struggled to create any meaningful chances which would have earned them a share of the spoils.

Manager Richard Hamilton was left bemoaning his side's lack of a killer instinct and inability to make chances pay as at the final whistle his players contemplated just how they managed to end up finishing the day with nothing to show for their first half superiority.