WARRINGTON Rylands missed the chance to take top spot in the NPL West and instead such is the tightness of the leading pack they slipped from second to fourth in the table with a 1-1 draw at Glossop North End, writes Garry Clarke.

Belying their lowly league position their hosts dominated the opening 15 minutes in which they forced a string of corners and shots at goal from Bevan Burey and Rory Fallon which were not far off target.

Glossop’s best chance of the first half fell to Rory Fallon in the 15th minute. A long throw was only partially cleared to Fallon on the edge of the area, his shot flew through a packed penalty area but Rylands goalkeeper Graeme McCall brilliantly diverted the ball to safety.

Having weathered the initial storm Rylands started to grow into the game and gained the upper hand.

Callum Dolan, Joe Bunney and Kane Drummond were all off target with shots before Glossop goalkeeper Harry Allen saved well to keep out a Callum Dolan shot.

Rick Smith headed over the bar from a Declan Walker cross, and in the closing minutes of the first half a mazy Owen Robinson run ended with the ball rebounding off two defenders into Allen’s hands.

The second half started disastrously for Rylands. A long Burey throw into their penalty area saw the ball pin-balling around until Lee Wilshaw headed home from close range to put Glossop in front after 49 minutes.

Recovering from the shock, Rylands lifted their game in search of an equaliser.

Five minutes after conceding, a Dolan cross found Bunney at the far post but his header was blocked by a defender, and a few minutes later Allen did well to keep out a Joe Denman header from a corner.

While continuing to push forward Rylands had to be wary not to be caught out at the back and concede a second.

On the hour mark Glossop delivered a free kick into the Rylands area which was not properly cleared allowing Jamie Rainford to fire a shot inches wide.

Rylands kept up the pressure and in the 65th minute a free kick caused confusion in the Glossop box as Allen dropped the ball, which, after a scramble, fell to Sam Egerton who shot over the bar.Ste Milne had a shot deflected wide. Allen pulled off a good save to keep out a Bunney header before Rylands finally levelled the score in the 85th minute.

From a corner, Drummond fired the ball into the box. Boots were swung at it in both directions and bodies thrown in the way of goal-bound shots until it emerged from the goal mouth scramble at the feet of Bunney who stuck out a leg to stab the ball home.

Rylands had one final chance to claim victory in stoppage time. Following a great run down the left Dolan drove a low cross across the face of Glossop’s goal but no-one could get on the end of it.

Rylands: McCall, Walker, Bunney, Smith (Smith), Egerton, Denman, Earl (Doyle), Coveney, Dolan, Robinson (Milne), Drummond. Subs not used: Gerrard, Scarisbrick.