TUESDAY 18th SEPTEMBER 2007

VAUXHALL MOTORS 0 v 0 NUNEATON BOROUGH

BLUE SQUARE NORTH

Vauxhall’s new signing Mark Hotte more than played his part on his debut, in fighting a rearguard action against a lively Nuneaton side at Rivacre Park to earn a point in a pulsating goalless draw.

The former York City and Scarborough defender, signed from Droylsden just 24 hours previously, used all his experience to guide his new charges and earn the praise of his new clubmates.  Motors had to work their socks off to keep Nuneaton at bay.  The visitors played with a tremendous verve, with good passing and excellent movement up front, but for all that, home keeper Sean Lake was only once seriously tested throughout the contest, such was the work ethic of the home defence.

And in the closing stages, it was the hosts that looked the more likely side to break the deadlock and snatch the points.

Nuneaton set out their stall from the first whistle, with their Bradley Pritchard volleying just over very early on.  Shortly after, Paul Taylor showed the visitors why he is so highly rated with a smart turn and shot, albeit straight at Darren Acton.  Borough’s Gary Ricketts almost struck on 14 minutes, when his instinctive shot grasped the front of the crossbar from an acute angle, before Taylor again wrestled free to fire just wide at the other end.

Andy Brown was also only inches away with a right foot shot for Borough, and it took a fine save from Acton to stop Taylor from giving the home side the lead just before the interval.  Nuneaton’s Tom Curtis struck a rasping drive just inches over on the restart and on 69 minutes, Lake made his impact with a tremendous near post save to turn round a solid header from Brown.

But in the closing stages, with Joe McMahon moving up front to assist the lone striker Taylor, in the absence of Lee Furlong, Motors almost snatch victory.  Twice Steve Johnson burst through the inside left channel only to be denied by the legs of Acton on both occasions.

Vauxhall: Lake, Holmes, Hadzik (12. Wright 82), Griffiths, McMahon, Kelly, Garrity, Field (14. Moogan 77), Hotte, Johnson  Taylor.  Sub not used: 13. Longrigg, 15. Smith, 16. Hitchen.