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With a limited team Amberswood made the most of the resources they had, and from the first whistle to the last they fought for everything.

When the game kicked off Amberswood were first out of the traps, and with Chris Hions in total control of the midfield with his partner Rick Surples, it looked like possibly the strongest Amberswood team for a long time.

Newtown must have thought they were playing a different team from the Amberswood of recent weeks and from the kickoff, Amberswood looked solid and composed throughout the team and it was just a matter of when, not if, they would score.

Newtown were always on the back foot in the first half with Amberswood having a number of corners in the first half, but failed to work the keeper that often, then just as the half time approached Amberswood forced Newtown to concede another corner, Rick Surples went to take it and fired a cross right on top of the keeper, which he failed to hold under no pressure, but as he dropped the ball, Amberswoods midfield general Chris Hions was first to react, prodding the ball into the net from close range for the opening goal.

From then on, until half time, Amberswood were by far the better team and Newtown were hoping the half time whistle would come sooner rather than later.

Amberswood manager Phil Athertons half time teamtalk was basically more of the same but have more shots at goal to test the keeper after the mistake he had made, but Newtown had made a couple of changes at half time, most notably the goalkeeper.

Amberswood still looked the better side in the second half, but it was looking like one goal was going to settle the game and Amberswood had it, then came a turning point with a bit of a twist. The pacy athletic and determined winger Dean Tomlinson picked up an injury, Amberswood had to make a change, and reorganize a couple of players, moving Rick Surples from central midfield to left wing and moving the link man between midfield and attack Paul Stringer to central midfield and substitute Chris Harris going up front alongside top striker Antony Whitton.

Newtown had a free kick on the right hand side which they floated into the box and was met by a Newtown player for the equaliser.

Antony Whitton started to get a few balls in front of him to run onto and sooner or later as the Newtown defence was going to tire, he was going to get to one before the goalkeeper, and thats what happened as he got to the ball the keeper came racing out and Antony Whitton tried to put the ball over, but the ball was headed off the line, but straight to the substitute Chrs Harris about twelve yards out on the left hand side of the area, and on the half volley blasted the ball past the defender on the line to give Amberswood the lead again.

Then with about ten minutes to go, Newtown equalised with another set piece, this time a corner.

Amberswood manager Phil Atherton thought that the game was going to end in a draw, but Paul Stringer and Rick Surples had other ideas, and when Paul Stringer got the ball in the penalty area on the right hand side near the byeline, with Newtown players all around him, he twisted and turned and squared the ball across the face of goal, for left winger Rick Surples to ghost in from the back post for a simple tap in with only a couple of minutes to go. No better time to get a winner.

Final Score: Amberswood 3 Newtown 2 A deserved victory for Amberswood who never looked lik losing, solid and composed in defence, In total control in midfield and deadly from the wig and forward positions.

Man Of The Match: Darren Ainscough who had the Newtown strikers in his pocket and orchestrated the play from the defence.