Vauxhall GM 1 St Helens Town 1 TOWN earned their first point of the 21st century with a battling draw at league leaders Vauxhall on Monday.

But they had to withstand some heavy pressure.

Gary Bickerstaffe headed Town ahead in the 41st minute after a short corner. And they held this lead until the 76th minute when Greg Blundell scored with a firm cross-shot.

Town defended manfully with Kirwan outstanding, well supported by 'keeper Hollywood.

And both sides enjoyed a piece of luck when first Young hit the post for Vauxhall and Bickerstaffe did likewise for Town in the closing stages.

It could have gone either way in the last five minutes but Vauxhall's Young was guilty of a bad miss while Town's sub, Kilshaw, saw his low drive blocked on the line with home 'keeper Hilton beaten.

Town 2 Prescot 3

Town paid the penalty for a poor start in this Christmas encounter.

They were goal down in three minutes through a Billy O'Callaghan header and 2-0 down by the half-hour mark when Kevin Lynch scored a solo effort.

In between Town missed a couple off good chances before Steve O'Neill's header from a corner reduced the deficit by half-time. After the break Town piled on the pressure in the worsening conditions.

And the pivotal moment of the game came in the 70th minute when Town's O'Neill missed a glorious chance to level the scores and within a minute Peter Cumiskey increased Cables' advantage with a superb solo goal, leaving defenders in his wake.

Town never gave up and set up a grandstand finish when Iain Dyson swept in Hill's low cross, but Prescot edged home on the back of their flying start.

This Saturday Town are at Abbey Hey (3pm) before travelling to Skelmersdale next Tuesday (7.30).

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