Toolstation Northern Counties East League Division One: Selby Town 2 Bottesford Town 2

SELBY Town begun the post-Dave Ricardo era with an absorbing draw against Bottesford Town at Flaxley Road.

Interim managers Nigel Emery and Reuben Pearse watched their new charges pull themselves back into the game twice in the second half to earn a well-deserved point.

Emery and Pearse’s team showed six changes but these were still very much drawn from Ricardo’s squad, apart from the substitutes' bench, which was populated entirely by local players.

Selby settled well but Josh Nichols had two great chances to give the visitors an early lead.

Tadcaster Albion loanee Nick Thompson just failed to turn in Mortimer’s flick-on from a corner as the teams traded chances, while Nathan Perks came close with a left-footed shot on the half turn.

After Chris Banks turned an effort off the line, Bottesford edged into the lead on 26 minutes.

Martin Pembleton nicked the ball around the corner to Wayne Graves, who was in space and impudently lifted a 16-yard chip over Gibson’s head into the top corner.

Emery and Pearse were forced into their first substitution shortly after the goal when Jack Binns, who had reported a complaint before the game, hobbled off injured to be replaced by Steve Edwards.

After Chris Jackson planted Edwards’ left-wing cross into the hands of the Bottesford goalkeeper, Nichols once again came within a whisker of scoring when his bobbling shot struck the foot of a post.

Following an even first half, the Robins raised themselves after the interval, although they were pegged back by the enforced withdrawal of captain Dane Mortimer, who picked up a knee injury in the first half and was replaced by former Cliffe defender Tom Hogg.

It took a while for the new backline to settle, and Graves should have extended the Poachers’ lead on the hour.

After his 12-yard shot, set up by Matt Steeper, was smothered by Gibson, Steve Ridley tried to sweep home the rebound, only for debutant Hogg to hack clear.

Town absorbed pressure and broke twice through Brodie Cooper, who couldn’t quite engineer a shooting opportunity from an unfamiliar left-sided role.

With 12 minutes to go, Perks whipped in a devilish free-kick that struck a post and ricocheted back into play.

Defender Ryan Watson, on debut after signing from Armthorpe Welfare, was the first to react and slotted home from ten yards.

Bottesford hit back within 90 seconds, Danny Boulton stealing in at the near post to nod home Pembleton’s cross.

Selby poured forward and former Glasshoughton Welfare forward Perks clipped a ball into the box for the unmarked Jackson to nick the ball into the bottom corner.

Emery said: “I’m overjoyed. It was a superb team performance. This team we’ve thrown together, they’ve worked for each other and done everything we asked.

“The injuries didn’t help but the lads stuck at it and really worked as a team.”