Boss left unhappy at Horncastle display
Joint-boss John Rawdon felt a draw was a fair result from Horncastle’s game with Cleethorpes Town Reserves last Friday night – but that his team’s performance was disappointing.
The two sides drew 2-2 at The Wong to leave Horncastle on five points from their opening five games.
And Rawdon felt it was a chance missed.
He said: “It was a frustrating weekend as we wanted to go out and beat one of the teams around us in the table, at home.
"I felt we started quite well and the game was fairly evenly-balanced from the off, but I felt we looked a bit more dangerous and were asking more questions.
“We took the lead through Scott Lowman’s close range finish and I felt we were in control, but then just before half-time we gave away a sloppy free-kick, didn’t deal with a ball into the box and their centre-forward headed the ball into an empty net.
“The start to the second-half was probably the worst we’ve played since I’ve been here and Cleethorpes scrambled a goal to go in front, but we made some changes that lifted us and gave us more legs and two of the subs combined for Aiden Willerton to score a really good goal.
"I felt there was only going to be one winner then as we were in the ascendancy and the last few minutes were our best spell, but it wasn’t to be and on the balance of the game we can’t argue with a point, the resilience shown to get a draw having played badly being a plus.”
Horncastle were set for more league action and a trip to league champions Nettleham on Wednesday night (1st) before going to Lincoln Moorlands Railway on Saturday, who have begun the season well and sit in second place.
Rawdon added: “Nettleham have had a great couple of years and have a lot of ex-Horncastle players so we’re excited by that game.
"These are two tough games but we go there with a positive mindset and if we can get two positive results then ultimately it will signal a good start to the season.”