LEE Onions grabbed a second half equaliser to salvage a draw for Cradley Town in an entertaining derby.

Sean Williams missed a glorious early chance to put the hosts in front and Gornal took the lead Sean Westley put through his own net in first half stoppage time.

Liam Morris missed chances to double the advantage, before Onions levelled when he converted Williams’ cross.

Both sides had chances to win it in a frenetic finale but a draw was the fair result.

The fact England were on television probably contributed to the sparse crowd but the open, exciting nature of the play meant those present certainly didn’t miss Rooney and co.

The opening half-hour in particular was a fantastic advert for football at this level, with both teams fully committed, challenges flying in and some excellent defending (and it has to be said, refereeing) on display.

That’s not to say there was an absence of finesse. Players like Gornal’s Bekhir Halil and Cradley’s Williams have the skills to spark any game.

The entertainment began early as the game began with the floodlights off and Gornal’s Lee Wherton went close to converting a Morris cross in the gloom of the opening seconds.

After a short break to allow the lights to come on Morris shot over the crossbar, as the visitors enjoyed the better of the early exchanges.

There then followed 15 seconds of play which perfectly encapsulated the high tempo of the game, as both sides went close to scoring.

First, Kristian Green was denied by a combination of his namesake, home keeper Blake Green and a defender as he headed Halil’s corner goalwards.

Cradley broke quickly and Sebestien Craven found himself one-on-one with James Pemberton after beating the offside trap. The striker had all the time in the world to shoot but selflessly squared the ball to the otherwise excellent Williams, who inexplicably sent his effort from six yards high and wide of the goal.

Unperturbed, the winger was soon back in the thick of the action as his cross was nearly turned into the net by Gornal defender Craig Waterhouse.

Brett Mander also shot just wide for the hosts, though the visitors were perhaps more dangerous and Halil drove wide after a good run.

Williams certainly seemed keen to make up for his earlier miss and after nicking the ball off Green, he beat two players before cracking an effort which nearly deceived Pemberton.

Both sides were indebted to their solid back fours, as a countless number of shots were blocked or dangerous crosses cleared. When the goal did arrive, five minutes into stoppage time, it naturally arrived from a defensive error.

Gornal forced successive corners and on the second Westley met Halil’s delivery, only to head it horribly past his own keeper.

Early in the second half Gornal could have doubled the lead as an excellent move involving Richard Young and Halil found Morris yards from goal but the striker was foiled by Green.

Both sides then had almost carbon copy chances within 60 seconds. Both missed.

First Craven flicked the ball over Pemberton but wide of the post after beating the keeper to a through ball, before Morris repeated the trick at the other end.

The latter miss proved costly, as Cradley drew level 16 minutes from time. Ryan Mahon found Williams out on the wing and he twice turned Young before firing in a low centre which Onions forced home.

The goal seemed to stun Gornal and they suddenly found themselves on the back-foot as Williams began to cause more problems. Boss Ian Rowe made a triple switch with eight minutes to go and the gamble nearly paid off as one of the replacements, Craig Shaw, played a neat one-two with Marvin Nisbett before advancing into the box and sending a lob over Green and but over the bar.

As if to emphasise the fine line between success and failure, the striker dislocated his shoulder in the process, meaning Rowe’s side were forced to play out the frenetic close and nine minutes of stoppage time with just ten men.

They survived it thanks to Pemberton, who got down low to claw a goal-bound Williams header round the post.