Crowborough Athletic FC 2-2 Lingfield FC

Crowborough Athletic ended their 3 game losing streak with a creditable second half performance to earn them a 2-2 draw against high-flying Lingfield on Saturday.
Christian Mkwananzi put the visitors ahead after just 4 minutes, and the scored remained 1-0 at half time, until Mikey Culverhouse fired the Crows level following an excellent ball across from the returning Alex Rich. Tom Saunders then put Boro ahead just 3 minutes later, but a late equaliser from Kai Bicharo meant the game ended in a draw after an entertaining game.
“It was a much improved performance compared to last couple of weeks, showed togetherness and everyone put in shift for team. Obviously disappointing to concede a late goal, but we will take a point after being 1-0 down at half time and showed some real character to get back into the game,” commented a satisfied player-manager Dave Adams after the full time whistle.
The Crows got off to a disastrous start, and found themselves a goal down inside 5 minutes when Christian Mkwananzi received the ball inside 6 yards after peeling off his marker, and tucked the ball into the net past the diving Ben Head.
Head soon came to Boro’s rescue as Mkwananzi latched onto a through ball to go one on one with the keeper, only for Head to pull off an exceptional save diving to his right. The Crows keeper was called into action again after 28 minutes, saving well from a shot on goal by Lee Flavin.
It took the hosts 34 minutes to threaten Rob O’Hara in the Lingfield goal, Rich delivered a peach of a cross which was headed behind off a visiting defender, from the resulting corner, Sam Saunders struck the ball narrowly over from just outside the area.
However, Boro wasted a great opportunity just before the interval when Dave Adams’ free kick was helped on by Sam Saunders onto brother Tom Saunders, whose tame effort was comfortably saved by O’Hara from 10 yards.

Boro started the second half as they finished the first, as Adams’ free kick was cleared, but only as far as Jack Turner, who headed the ball back into the box for Everest, whose glancing header was well saved low to his right by O’Hara.
However, Lingfield looked to have doubled their lead after Ben Head misjudged a ball through and failed to clear, allowing Mkwananzi through, but Everest heroically got back to clear on the goal line. Moments later the Crows equalised, as Sam Saunders blocked a clearance and the ball fell to Rich, who steered the ball across goal to Culverhouse at the far post, and the winger blasted the ball in from close range, past the scrambling O’Hara.
Boro then remarkably found themselves ahead, as Jonny Hampson’s brilliant cross from the left picked out Culverhouse at the far post, who put the ball back across goal to Tom Saunders who flicked the ball past the diving O’Hara and into the net.
Head then came the Crows rescue as sub Dean Roye burst through on goal, showing great pace to beat the defender, but his effort was brilliantly kept out by the advancing keeper.
However, the Boro keeper was eventually beaten as Lingfield equalised with 9 minutes remaining. Kai Bicharo picked up the ball just inside the penalty area, and the striker drove the ball low across goal, and despite the glove of the diving Head, the ball deflected off the inside of the far post and into the net.
This led to a tense finale, with both sides looking dangerous going forward, but neither could find that elusive winner.

Boro now host Rye United in the John O’Hara Cup Tuesday night before entertaining Worthing United on Saturday.