A SPIRITED second half display in difficult conditions earned West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC a point in a 2-2 draw away to AFC Liverpool.

The opening minutes had very few chances as the defences got on top as both teams were determined to try and play football on a surface the ground staff had worked on all the way up to kick off to ensure the game went ahead.

The first real attempt on goal brought the first goal on 26 minutes as Liam Loughlin’s shot from the edge of the penalty area was wickedly deflected past West goalkeeper Ben Simpson as the visitors appealed for a foul on Richmond Botchey in the build-up.

Minutes later West midfielder Steve Settle saw West’s best chance of the first half as Tre Baldwin-Willis released him through the middle with a pass put him clean through but could only fire inches wide. The sides went into half time with the home side leading after a Liverpool free kick cannoned off the cross bar.

The second half got off to the worst possible start for West as a Graham Kay header was cleared to the edge of the box only to fall to Liverpool’s Steven Jones who finished sweetly into the far left hand corner to make it 2-0. West, however, refused to let their heads drop and immediately got back into the game when a chipped ball found Tommy Walsh who flicked it up and volleyed it over the head of the goalkeeper to half the deficit on 50 minutes.

West began to assert themselves on the game and push for an equaliser with AFC Liverpool happy to hit on the counter attack.

The turning point came when Liverpool had the ball in the back of the net only to be ruled out for offside. West took full advantage and from a swift counter attack Tre Baldwin Willis went sprinting into the penalty area only to be flattened by a badly timed tackle leaving the ref little choice but to point to the spot.

Rick Gleave ignored the time wasting antics of the home keeper and he stepped up confidently to crash home the spot kick for his fifth goal of the season. There were just six minutes remaining yet Gleave might have won it at the end when his far post header was knocked down rather than into the goal but it was well earned point in difficult conditions through hard work and determination against on the leagues contenders.