Sheffield Utd Reserves 1 - 1 Town Reserves. DWAYNE MATTIS scored a stunning goal as Town Reserves maintained their unbeaten Pontins Holiday League Premier Division record against Sheffield United at windswept Saltergate yesterday.

The hard-working midfielder struck seven minutes into the second half of an evenly- contested match with a 35-yard thunderbolt which revived memories of his first-team bullet at Peterborough last season.

Finding space as Adnan Ahmed and Anthony Lloyd worked the ball across the pitch, Mattis let fly to give United goalkeeper Kristian Rogers no chance diving to his left.

The only pity was it didn't win the game, because it deserved to.

United - featuring ex-Town striker Wayne Allison up front - equalised on 67 minutes with a curling free-kick from Ian Ross which goalkeeper Phil Senior looked to have covered.

Instead, the ball beat him inside his right-hand post and Stuart McCall's side, who remain two points behind Town in the table, had the chance to chase an unlikely win.

Ex-Tranmere striker Andy Parkinson, who had earlier had a firm drive held by Senior, set up Anthony Shaw for a curling shot just over the bar and substitute Billy Sharp (who replaced Allison) had Town's goalkeeper scrambling to block.

Town managed to regain their composure to create late openings for Mattis and Paul Scott, but they had to settle for a point against an experienced United line-up.

With Andy Holdsworth playing well as one of three centre-backs and Ahmed and Mattis working hard alongside Chris Holland in midfield, Town showed plenty of enterprise in the first half and were even on chances.

Jack Lester had the first real opportunity on 15 minutes but, when expecting Senior to move at an 18-yard free-kick, he aimed his shot straight into the goalkeeper's chest.

Nat Brown, battling hard up front, replied for Town with a splendid header deflected wide and then, on 31 minutes, Jon Newby had a great chance to put his goalscoring drought behind him from Lloyd's knock through, but he fired a first-time shot too close to Rogers.

After Senior had brilliantly tipped away another Parkinson effort, Brown tried his luck at the other end with similar results, and that just about summed up the stalemate.

Town: Senior, Holdsworth, Lloyd, Holland, Booty, Scott, Thompson, Mattis, Brown, Newby, Ahmed. Subs not used: Kenworthy, Giles, Hardy, Tunnacliffe, McAliskey.

Next story