Hudson pleased with Hebburn Town desire in Lancaster City draw

Assistant manager Mark Hudson praised Hebburn Town’s depleted squad after they battled to a point in their visit to Northern Premier League Premier Division rivals Lancaster City.

The Hornets travelled to the Giant Axe without a number of key players as player-manager Daniel Moore named himself in the starting lineup and Robbie Spence returned to the fray after his loan spell at East Division side Heaton Stannington was cut short. Despite their injury issues, Hebburn made a positive start and took the lead on ten minutes when top scorer Amar Purewal added to his impressive haul this season.

An unfortunate own goal from defender Michael Turner restored parity on the half-hour but Purewal’s second of the day restored the Hornets lead just three minutes later after good approach play from Liam Noble. The hosts remained in the game and ramped up the pressure on Moore’s men as the final minutes of the game approached. An equaliser finally arrived two minutes from time when Dylan Moonan headed home at the far post to ensure his side snatched a last-gasp point.

Despite that late disappointment, Hornets number two Hudson was pleased to see a reaction from Tuesday night’s deeply disappointing Durham Challenge Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of the Shildon.

He told The Gazette: “We told them before the game to go and show the appetite and desire to close people down because that was what was lacking at Shildon on Tuesday and we got that in abundance. We deserved to go ahead, the pitch wasn’t great so we had to take that into consideration. It was disappointing to concede the equaliser because it was just a ball in the box that hit Micky for the own goal but we reacted really well and we caught them cold when Amar scored. We deserved to be ahead and it’s disappointing we couldn’t get a win but given the injuries, it’s still a positive to take something from the game.”

The Hornets will take a check on the fitness of several players throughout a free midweek as they now turn their focus towards next Saturday’s home game against runaway league leaders Macclesfield.