Hay to the rescue after Laird leak early goal

Dec 17 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

ALEX HAY saved Laird’s blushes with a spectacular overhead kick as their lowly Lincolnshire visitors stole a point in the UniBond League Division One South.

The Tulips, second bottom of the league, saw the hosts playing with spirit from the start and were lucky to remain level when John Collins thundered a header onto the underside of the bar early on.

The visitors defended in numbers and had to rely on some good fortune with close calls for Hay and Thomas Rooney in the first period.

But Spalding took a surprise lead just after the break when Ben Garrick was on hand to pounce on a parried Leaon Bimpson save to tap in from close range.

Laird went into the ascendancy and 12 minutes from time Ian Cooke rose to back head the ball to Hay who, with his back to goal, launched himself backwards to scissors-kick the ball past the hapless Ian Pledger.

The Birkenhead men went all out for the winner with further chances for Rooney and Anthony Sheehan going agonisingly wide.

The result means Laird are now seven points behind leaders Retford United, who had an FA Trophy game.