Leeds Sunday Alliance Premier Division
Queenswood Social 2 Leeds Maccabi 1st 2
Ian Selwyn paid tribute to his battling warriors as his 10-man Maccabi 1st emerged with a point from a hard-fought contest against Queenswood Social.
Dan Ross was sent off just after the break after receiving a second yellow card but Maccabi held out to claim a deserved draw.
Goals from Rob Brown and Steven Berke gave Selwyn something to smile about but it could have been even better had his team kept 11 players on the pitch.
“To come away from home with 10 men and get a point is always pleasing,” he said.
“It was a tough game in difficult conditions and there weren’t many chances so a draw was probably fair overall.
“The pitch had a big slope and it was very narrow and a bit small so it was difficult but it was the same for both teams.
“But I’m pleased with a point although we might have won it if we had a full compliment of players.”
Ross, who was sent off after arguing over the referee’s failure to award a penalty to Maccabi in the second half, will now miss next weekend’s game against West Hunslet.
The defender was booked early on after conceding a penalty for an innocuous looking foul on a Queenswood striker.
Fortunately for Selwyn’s side, the hosts failed to convert and just minutes later Brown fired Maccabi ahead after tapping home from close-range.
That lead was not to last long however, as another defensive error from Berke allowed Queenswood to find an equaliser.
Having been derided for his mistakes in recent weeks, Berke did temporarily silence his critics by firing Maccabi back into the lead after the break with a thumping bullet header.
That goal looked to have given Maccabi just their second league win of the season but when Ross was given his marching orders with more than 30 minutes remaining the game was turned on its head.
And despite some dogged defending, the visitors were unable to hold out as a long ball over the top caught the Maccabi defence unawares and allowed Queenswood to equalise.
“We felt a bit hard done by with some of the refereeing decisions,” added Selwyn.
“Nobody within a three-mile radius saw why that penalty was given and none of their players even appealed.
“But they’re a good side and it was a difficult game.”