​No great surprise that opponents with two of the worst defensive records in the division should serve up an exciting end to end seven goal thriller which made for a terrific afternoon’s entertainment for a sparse Eagle Valley crowd. The Eagles were made to work extremely hard to ensure that Tevie’s eight game losing streak coming into this fixture was extended to nine, grimly hanging onto their slender 4-3 lead throughout a tense final quarter of the match.

Even by Arnold Town standards there were massive changes to the home starting eleven for this game with no less than six positions taken up by different personnel from the midweek cup defeat against Chesterfield. Notable incomers were Tremere Lindo making his full debut, Keiron Lane coming in as a dual signing from Hucknall Town and Toby Francis returning from a similar arrangement at Selston.

The Eagles started the game on the front foot with an early sighter for Toby Francis after being found by a Billy Bradley’s long throw but the striker’s mis-hit shot bounced well wide of the Oxton Road goal. Following a brief succession of Tevie corners at the other end Francis was back in the action again on 9 mins this time threading through a pass for fellow striker Tremere Lindo whose curled effort sailed a mere foot or so over the bar.

Two minutes later the Eagles gained an early lead. Lindo made meaningful progress through the right side of Teversal’s defence before launching a goal bound shot which keeper Leon Turton could only parry back into the path of a handily placed Craig Taylor who calmly slotted home the game’s opener like the ruthless goal machine the midfielder has suddenly become.

The goal initially seemed to increase the home side’s grip on the game but Tevie fought back on 17 mins and were awarded a free kick in a dangerous looking position after one of their strike force was bundled to the floor. The resultant curled free kick seemed to have the beating of Strycharz but thankfully for the Arna keeper it somehow nestled itself on the top of the Colin End net. 

Shortly afterwards a badly skewed clearance by Strycharz went directly to a visiting striker and only prompt rescue work by centre half Lenny Jenkins prevented an easy chance for an equaliser. The game now threatened to become a little unruly with the Arnold defence and midfield looking a little unsettled by a Tevie unit not afraid to get stuck in. 

Around the half hour mark however Arna began to find their stride again and good work by the industrious Wainaina provided Toby Francis with another opportunity to test the Tevie keeper who this time reacted with a fine save. 

A minute later though keeper Turton made a complete hash of a fairly simple ball making its way towards him in his six yard area. The air shot squirted the ball for an alert Tremere Lindo to pick up the pieces and slot home his first goal for the Eagles from an acute angle on the left bi-line to give the home side a brief two goal cushion.

Around the half hour mark however Arna began to find their stride again and good work by the industrious Wainaina provided Toby Francis with another opportunity to test the Tevie keeper who this time reacted with a fine save. 

A minute later though keeper Turton made a complete hash of a fairly simple ball making its way towards him in his six yard area. The air shot squirted the ball for an alert Tremere Lindo to pick up the pieces and slot home his first goal for the Eagles from an acute angle on the left bi-line to give the home side a brief two goal cushion.

Always ready to prove the old axiom “you’re at your most likely to concede after scoring” Arnold allowed Teversal back into the game just two minutes later. A free kick from way out on the right dropped from the sky into the Eagles’ area with the flight path totally misjudged by Strycharz who subsequently allowed the ball to drop behind him for the eager James Whitmore to nip in and nudge it into the net to reduce the arrears. 

Despite the setback Arnold finished the half looking the more threatening of the two sides and but for two poor looking offside decisions could easily have re-extended their lead with dangerous looking one on one opportunities cruelly cut short for Lindo and later Francis who had both appeared to time their breaking runs to perfection. 

After a five minute wait for the ref to make a reappearance for the second half the visitors were levelling matters within a minute of the delayed re-start. A bit of an “after you Claude” in midfield by Craig Taylor saw the visitors burst through Arnold’s back line with menace and Cameron Pinnock running on to convert a one on one chance against Strycharz with a well placed drilled shot to the right of the advancing keeper to make it 2-2.

Parity lasted some five minutes before a well worked Arna goal saw them back in front. Billy Bradley began the move on the left finding Tremere Lindo eager to carry the ball down the flank and into the left side of the area before looking up and weighing up his options. For a split second Francis appeared best placed in the middle but an onrushing Kyme Mason suddenly entered the scene and took advantage of a perfectly placed pass to send in a delicious curled effort into the right hand corner of the net for his 5th Arna goal. 

Play was getting more frantic as the game progressed with both sides looking equally threatening in turn. Cracks looked likely to appear in either defence at any moment and Tevie took full advantage of a horlicks on the right of Arna’s back line just after the hour mark to level matters at 3-3. Dwelling too long on the ball Adam Clift was dispossessed just outside the Eagles penalty box resulting in a bit of a gift for the hunting Robbie Savage who was left with the easiest of finishes to equalise once again. 

Momentum appeared to be with the visitors now and Strycharz was called upon to make a couple of decent saves to prevent Teversal taking the lead. With eight straight defeats behind them the visitors were clearly not wanting to pass up on an opportunity to end their dismal run. 

But the new look Eagles weren’t ready to throw in the towel and it was the home side who managed to apply the final killer punch on 67 mins. A Lindo throw in from the right was redirected by Francis to springboard Wainaina on his way, dribbling into the area past two or three defenders. After a clumsy attempt to scythe him to the ground failed Aaron retained his footing, steadied himself and threaded a close range side footed shot between the keeper and further defenders gathered on the line for his first goal for the club.

I expect not many watching would have been prepared to put money on the fact that 4-3 would be the final score with some twenty odd minutes still on the clock. Before the re-start the Eagles brought on James Martin to replace Toby Francis and the former’s pace helped to provide a fresh occasional outlet up front which was much needed as Tevie began to throw all their efforts forward in the search of yet another equaliser. 

Arnold’s gritty defending would be pretty rudimentary at times with bodies flying all over the place in the face of some sustained Tevie pressure. The visitors squandered their clearest chance on 72 mins after Keiron Lane initially did well to quell an attack down the right but then lost his footing to allow a dangerous ball flash across the box were Whitmore somehow managed to lift it over the bar from only a yard or so out when it appeared far easier to score.

After riding the storm the Eagles were on the hunt themselves to restore their two goal cushion. Strycharz appeared more eager than usual to opt for the long ball with his more pacey forward line and a drop kick did well to find substitute James Jackson free on the left wing. JJ was quick to advance and send over a high cross which found Lindo free in the area and Tremere’s close range header only cleared the bar by inches. 

A succession of subs and one or two lengthy delays for injuries ensured a fair bit of added time which Teversal used to the full in keeping up the pressure on a tiring Arnold defence. For the final minutes it was all hands to the pump as the home side got everything behind the ball to hang on to another vital three points in their quest to improve their league position.

​Certainly a tense finish for all concerned but thankfully ending with a well deserved hard fought victory for a steadily improving Arnold squad.​