The penultimate midweek fixture, if you don’t include the play-offs to come. Two choices really, to head towards one of the title chasing Combined Counties teams or those chasing down the Southern Combination Division One play-off places.
A three way fight in Surrey with two of those sides facing away trips, in Sussex two places available with five sides in the mix and four of them in action on Tuesday evening.
It ended up being settled upon with a second trip of the season to Billingshurst, a side who themselves were still in contention up until a few weeks ago hosting an Infinity side who under former Barnet defender Shaun Gale have put together an impressive run to sit on the edge of the top six with four games to go.
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A marked contrast to Saturday afternoon of sunshine, t-shirts and shorts, the thick coat out once again with a biting April wind meaning it was needed by half time.
Both sides I’d already seen in action this season, you come to expect that by this point in the calendar but not often I’m getting chauffeured to games, always gotta take up the option from Gareth Spinks.
A pleasantly good sized crowd were in attendance on a night of not many games being played across the county. Both sides certainly weren’t looking to sit back, the visitors need for points however the more desperate.
Infinity shaded the opening moments but struggled to hit the target and instead it was the home side who took the lead on 23 minutes. Some indecision from keeper Stephen Douglas allowed Tom Edwards to nip in and slot the ball into an empty net for the game’s opening goal.
The hosts then doubled their lead on 33 minutes, Jack Sizzey-Carter turned well inside the box and fired home, the game plan certainly not going the way of the visitors despite looking the more attacking threat, Hurst blocking their efforts well and taking a sizeable half time lead.
But Infinity were back in the game a minute after the re-start, Tommy Tierney scoring from the penalty spot to immediately give momentum to the visitors. Gale had certainly used the interval to encourage his side to push on and with the hosts struggling after some enforced substitutions due to injury Infinity did keep coming and coming with the hosts unable to make much headway getting out of their own half.
The visitors though they had scored midway through the half but three players to pick from for the offside decision was correct. However, the equaliser did come on 67 minutes when Louie O’Brien slotted home unmarked at the back post.
Hurst did have a great chance to head back in front, but some desperate Infinity defending cleared the ball off the line to keep the scores level. Back to the other end, the visitors hit the post and then contrived to miss from a yard out, honours ending even after what was definitely a game of two halves.
With the other play-off contenders all failing to pick up more than a point, it’s possibly not two points lost on the night. Granted two more would have added a little daylight but with all having three to play now it’s the pivotal Easter weekend to make a difference although one or two big games coming up on the final matchday a week on Saturday.
