DIGGLE....2
HEYSIDE..2
DIGGLE LINE-UP (4-4-2) - John Pooley/ Alex Padgham, Paul Godard, Billy Marshall, Rob Brooks/ Gary Stott-Holt, Dave Walters, Adam Fitzgerald, Rhys Thomas/ Craig Brown, Jason Stone. SUBS: Gareth Godard (for Brown 20), Scott Longley (for Thomas 82).
WASTEFUL Diggle came back from two goals down to secure a point against Heyside - but the Digglers know they should have won the game by a country mile.
Diggle spurned a host of chances in both halves, missed a penalty, had a goal disallowed and hit the crossbar on a frustrating afternoon at Churchill.
Heyside scored two breakaway goals in the first half as Diggle's fondness for playing the offside trap let them down.
But to be fair on the home side, they came out fighting in the second half and completely dominated proceedings.
To say Diggle had 90% of the possession would not be an understatement. They were camped in Heyside's half for the majority of the second half.
They got their reward with two goals from flip-flop wearing frontman Jason Stone - who then blotted his copybook by missing the penalty.
Diggle had made a couple of changes from their last game.
Captain Stephen Chamberlain could not play. He had apparently been forced to go shopping by his wife for a new pair of shoes to replace the ridiculous red ones he has.
Beach-bum Paul Godard, who turned up in a fetching pair of pink swimming shorts, moved to centre-half.
Rob Brooks returned to play at left-back. Brooks, by his own admission, had a poor game.
There is also a rumour doing the rounds about Brooks's childhood. Growing up on Greenway Drive in Mossley, Brooks apparently had a penchant for wearing women's clothes.
An unnamed female source said that Brooks loved to dress up in dresses or frocks and complete the look with a pair of killer heels. Sweet.
It isn't known if he has grown out of this fetish.
Up front, Craig Brown returned from holiday to partner Stone. Brown's game didn't last long however as he was substituted early on.
He blamed a knee injury. But the rotund striker was clearly feeling the effects of the recent rise in temperatures and was visibly wheezing as he was rolled off the pitch.
The referee on Saturday had a stinker. He was garbage. Didn't have a bloody clue. Blind as a bat and going bald.
The referee was Alex Marsh. At half-time someone had to show Marsh how to use a whistle as he never blew the bloody thing during the first half.
And, like Brown, the heat clearly caught up with a well-developed Marsh as he struggled to keep up with play.
Later in the evening Marsh was positively drooling as a young stunner told a star-struck group of players about the grooming habits she uses in her private area.
Medics had to break out the smelling salts for Marsh when the girl said she imagines other women in the nude all the time.
Anyway, fun over, to the game. Diggle started brightly enough and created a few good chances.
But their sprightly opening was ruined when Heyside opened the scoring. A mix-up in defence allowed a Heyside striker to race away and lob John Pooley.
Pooley was in for Gary Pemberton, who was a spectator on Saturday. Pemberton wowed the ladies by giving an airing to his fabulous legs. He must be using 'Daz' on them to get them that white.
Anyway, Diggle feared for their unbeaten record when, not long after, Heyside made it two with a carbon copy of the first goal.
Half-time and Diggle were given a good rollocking by caretaker manager Danny Anchor. Dave Walters had a few choice words to say as well as he urged his team-mates to be harder in the tackle.
The encouragement worked as Diggle were all over their opponents from the first whistle.
Chance after chance came and went. Corner after corner. Long throw after long throw. Still nothing.
But then Diggle got their lifeline. Rhys Thomas threw the ball short to Alex Padgham, who swiftly returned it to the winger.
Thomas set off down the right and into the box, beating two or three players (I know I'm being a tad modest here).
His attempted shot broke to Gary Stott-Holt, who backheeled it to Stone to score from six yards out.
Backed by a vocal, and quite sizeable, crowd Diggle knew the game was there for the taking.
They swiftly made it two when Stott-Holt fed Stone and the striker slammed into the corner of the net from an angle.
Diggle should have got their winner soon after. Adam Fitzgerald flicked the ball to Thomas, who ran through on goal. As the ball dropped near the penalty spot, Thomas flicked the ball over the advancing keeper, only to see it strike the underside of the bar and bounce the wrong side of the line.
In the ensuing melee, Stone was clattered from behind by the Honey Monster and Marsh awarded a penalty.
Stone's penalty was tame by his standards and the keeper got down to his right to save.
But still Diggle should have won. Thomas saw two efforts go over, Stone had a couple of good chances, Stott-Holt whistled one wide, Gareth Godard saw a shot cleared off the line and Brooks hammered one just over from range.
For the watching fans it must have reminded them of the first-half of the first leg of Arsenal v Barcelona.
Diggle hearts were in mouths as Heyside almost snatched a third goal against the run of play.
It was exactly the same build up as their other two goals but this time Pooley, who had raced out of his area, saved magnificently with his head!
Then, controversy as Diggle had a goal disallowed. Well, I say controversy - it wasn't really controversial at all.
An indirect free-kick just in the area was laid to Fitzgerald. His hammer shot was going wide but Stott-Holt diverted it into the net with his hand.
Initially, it looked like Marsh had given the goal. But Stott-Holt admirably (bollocks, that should say foolishly) held his hands up (what a pun that is, see what I did there) and admitted he had handled it. Thierry Henry he ain't.
Diggle must be more clinical in front of goal when title-rivals Westend visit Churchill on Thursday.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH - Dave Walters
