ALVIS Sporting moved to within two points of Midland League Division Two leaders Paget Rangers after being held to a 2-2 draw away at Fairfield Villa.
Damian Cassidy’s side returned to Fairfield Villa for the second consecutive week and just as the Les James Cup fixture went into extra time the previous week, the two teams shared four goals in Saturday’s league encounter.
The visitors began brightly and took a deserved lead in the 13th minute when a left wing cross from Daniel Pidgeon was headed home by Dildale Linton.
Alvis increased their lead on 26 minutes when Tommy Maguire took advantage of a defensive mix up to fire home from the edge of the penalty area into the corner of the net.
There were chances at either end with both sides unable to apply the finishing touch until the hour mark, when Fairfield Villa reduced the deficit with Connor Collins scoring with a low drive from 20 yards.
Just as in the previous week, Alvis surrendered a two-goal half time advantage when Lewis Smith netted from close range with just seven minutes remaining.
The point that Alvis gained moved them into the promotion places with Paget Rangers topping the table in a season which has seen several teams in the first place.
“Although we have been unbeaten in four outings at Fairfield Villa in the past year, we have always found it a tough place to visit,” said Alvis boss Cassidy.
“A draw was possibly a fair result over the 90 minutes, but had we have taken our chances just after the break, then we would have won comfortably. As it was, Fairfield Villa came back strongly to earn a draw.”
Alvis Sporting, who reached the semi-finals of the Birmingham County Football Association Saturday Vase last season, travel to Birmingham on Saturday to play Continental Star in the first round of this season’s competition.
