PINCHBECK United player/boss Ian Dunn admits his side are walking wounded after Saturday’s bruising derby draw with Moulton Harrox.
Both Dunn and Dan Woods are doubtful for Saturday’s home Peterborough Premier Division clash with Uppingham Town (2pm) after taking a number of big hits.
But you won’t catch the Pinchbeck squad moaning after the 0-0 stalemate, with Dunn admitting rivals Moulton stuck to their task well.
The point sees promotion-seeking United drop a place to third in the standings, but they are just four points behind leaders King’s Cliffe with four games in hand.
“I’ve got a gash on my shin, a slight calf tear and a dislocated finger,” said Dunn, who missed Pinchbeck’s best chance of the ‘mini-clasico’. “Woodsy is struggling too, they certainly did their best to stop us playing.
“The ref wasn’t great for either side, but I’d say a draw was about fair. We played all the football and created more chances, but they stuck to their task – even if Lee Drury didn’t have a save to make.
“I think Moulton would certainly be higher in the league if they played like that every week.
“We’re not going to score every week. But I’ve seen teams like S & L Corby and Daventry Town win the UCL by being well-drilled and hard to beat.
“That’s how I want us to be and I think it shows.”
Although they weren’t easy on the eye, a draw ended Moulton’s three-game losing streak in the league.
They’ve managed to take just a point off their chief rivals over the two meetings this season, failing to score on each occasion.
And Harrox co-boss Paul Kent reckons they deserved more.
He said: “We’re a bit disappointed not to beat them in all honesty.
“And we definitely feel we deserved more than one point from two games against Pinchbeck.”
Moulton face a tricky trip to defending champions Ramsey Town on Saturday (2pm).
• A last-minute header from Nathan Ginty denied Pinchbeck Reserves on Saturday as they were held 4-4 at Peterborough Rovers in Division Two.
The point perhaps flattered Pinchbeck, who were guilty of being sloppy in possession and failed to adapt to the change in formation forced upon them by injuries and players being unavailable.
They did take an early lead when Ash Wilson cut in from the left to unleash a powerful 20-yard drive into the net.
Bryn Buxton soon levelled with a looping effort from similar range, but Sam Deykin hit back to put United 2-1 ahead at the break.
Early in the second half James Burdock put Rovers back on level terms again when he waltzed round the keeper, then Lee Defraine drilled the hosts ahead for the first time.
Pinchbeck responded by playing some of their best stuff – and soon found themselves level when Wilson nodded home his second.
Ash West’s acrobatic effort then looked like it was going to win it for the away side, but there was still time for Ginty to bury a dramatic last-gasp leveller from Burdock’s searching cross.