Attleborough Town 2 Sprowston Ath 2

Junior Cup finalists Sprowston Athletic were the visitors to the Rec on Saturday. Boro manager Craig Bibby elected to stick with the same starting XI that shared the points with Hoveton last weekend.

The visitors started the game on the front foot and took the lead after just 15 minutes. A cross from the left-hand side managed to evade everyone apart from the Sprowston winger, who was on hand at the back post to tap the ball home.

Baker did well to get forward down the right-hand side for the hosts but his dangerous ball across goal eluded everyone.

Sprowston extended their lead on the half hour after Boro had squandered possession in their own half. The striker picked up the ball and unleashed a powerful shot towards the top left-hand corner. Guinness did superbly well to tip the ball onto the bar but the Boro defence could only stand and watch as the Sprowston attacker followed up and nodded home.

Boro shuffled the pack before half- time as G Mann replaced J Carr in midfield. They finally had their first shot of the game with 40 minutes gone as Wright let fly from 25 yards with his well-struck shot brushing the side netting.

After an extremely disappointing first half Boro came out of the traps with a lot more urgency at the start of the second. And it wasn't long before they had pulled one goal back with the ball falling kindly to Whitman who stroked home from the edge of the box.

Smith then found himself in a good position after a free-kick was deflected into his path. However, he failed to put the ball into a good area on his left foot.

M Carr was introduced from the bench and almost had an immediate impact. Wetteland's ball across goal just ran away from Carr as he couldn't quite wrap his foot around it. The ball was kept alive by K Brown, but he was hounded out by the Athletic defence.

Boro got their equaliser 15 minutes from time when a K. Brown long throw was met by the head of Wetteland. The goalkeeper was caught in no man's land and the ball sailed into the back of the net.

Both sides were now out to claim the win as it was clear a point was not going to be enough for either side's promotion ambitions.

Beales did well to halt the progress of an Athletic break and minutes later Guinness had to be alert to save a low shot from the edge of the box.

Wright slipped a lovely ball through to Smith but the makeshift striker's touch let him down at the crucial point. G Mann then unleashed a free-kick from 25 yards but the ball flew just over the bar, the referee ignoring claims that the Athletic 'keeper had got a vital touch.

The teams meet again at Sprowston on Saturday with Boro then visiting Mundford on Easter Monday. A six-point haul would just about keep promotion hopes alive.