Loaring’s attitude and determination is spot on

Only five minutes after falling behind to a quality finish from Northwood substitute Sydney Ibie, Loaring once again took on responsibility from the penalty spot in Ross Allen’s absence to score an 82nd-minute equaliser for the Green Lions as they made it seven points on the road in the space of a week following their back-to-back wins at Sutton Common Rovers and Staines Town.

It was Loaring’s 80th goal for the club, taking him clear in third on GFC’s all-time scoring list, and Tony Vance felt the goal was just rewards for his efforts.

‘In the last three games he has really stepped up and shown great leadership and determination, which is excellent,’ said the GFC boss.

‘We have talked about making sure we have leaders in the group. I am not talking about just bellowing out all the time, but in the last three games we have had plenty more who have taken on a leadership role in their own way.’

The opportunity to score from the spot arose after what Vance described as ‘a great counter-attack’ with resulted in Ben Acey’s shot being blocked by a defender’s hand.

Northwood then heaped the pressure on the Green Lions in the closing stages as they searched for a winner, but the visitors stood firm.

‘The back four were solid and I thought they deserved their point – it was a good unit,’ Vance said of his defence comprising Keanu Marsh, Jacob Fallaize, Jamie Dodd and Dave Rihoy.

Although the manager acknowledged that side were under the pump in the dying moments, he was pleased with how they had played in the first half.

‘Although we have been playing OK in the last couple of games, we knew the opposition was going to be better but after the first 25 minutes we were well on top and we should have gone ahead,’ he said of a period in which Charlton Gauvain hit the post with a superb effort and a couple of other decent chances were created as well.

‘In the second half, we were hanging on at the end, so all-in-all it was another good point.

‘The best thing about the game from my point of view was the character to get back in it towards the end after conceding.’

Unfortunately, Gauvain came off during the second half with a sore ankle and is a doubt for tomorrow’s trip to Bedfont Sports while Glenn Le Tissier is in Spain playing in the European Cricket League.