Match report: Bashley FC came from behind but had to settle for a point in a scrappy 1-1 mid-table Southern League Division One South clash with Bristol Manor Farm FC

Bashley will feel they deserved more, but after coming from behind at the Veho Community Stadium on Saturday, they had to settle for a point in a rather scrappy mid-table affair.

A soft pitch, which soon cut up on the surface, was not conducive to the sort of slick passing football Bashley preferred, and though the fans welcomed the sunshine, it became a dazzling hindrance to both sides.

In the early exchanges, Bashley’s new keeper, Charlie Philpott, came within a whisker of handing the Bristol Manor Farm an early lead when his daring inter-play across the six-yard box was perilously close to being intercepted in front of an empty net by striker Dan Dodimead, whose foot was just inches away.

Philpott, the goalkeeping coach at AFC Bournemouth, has recent experience with both Winchester and Wimborne and was drafted in at the last minute after the Cherries had agreed, 24 hours earlier, to Basingstoke’s request to loan Mack Allan.

Apart from the earlier scare-raiser, Philpott showed the class expected of him, being the busier of the two keepers in the first half.

Although the visitors made a better start, it was not all one-way traffic. In excellent form recently, Luke Holmes sparked a good move down the left, carried on by Mitchell Speechley-Price, and only a terrific sliding block by Harry Lucas prevented Kyran Samadi’s shot from hitting the back of the net.

A clever ball from Bashley skipper Steve Walker freed Harvey Bertrand down the right, and his cross fizzed through a crowded goalmouth with no Bashley foot to convert it – then Speechley-Price and Samadi combined cleverly in the box but were eventually crowded out.

On either side of half-time, Bashley might have taken the lead. As the first 45 ticked down, Samadi and Speechley-Price both had shots blocked in quick succession and early in the second half, Connor Bent’s cross from the left eluded everyone as it skidded temptingly through the goalmouth.

But Farm took the lead on 51 minutes when a quick break down the left caught Bashley off-guard. Grubb had far too much time and room for a pinpoint cross, which landed perfectly on the head of the unmarked Louis Britton eight yards out – easy pickings for a competent striker like him.

Only ten minutes after going behind, Bashley were level. Holmes chased a loose ball into the area to the right of the goal. He got there first but was bowled over from behind by Aron Robbins, and referee Catalin Tanase pointed to the penalty spot without hesitation.

There was not too much fuss from the opposition ranks - nor too much fuss from Lewis Ross as he whacked the spot-kick hard and low into the left corner of the net.

Then came yet another booking for centre-back Walker. Most in attendance did not think the action was in any way worthy of a yellow card – however, the referee thought it was. Bashley will lose their inspirational skipper yet again to suspension as the season enters its closing stages.

Next, Bashley travels to face Bishops Cleeve on Saturday at 3pm, who occupy the final promotion play-off spot.

Bashley: C. Philpott, H. Bertrand, J. Bertie. T. Edmondson, S. Walker, L. Waterfield, L. Ross, M. Speechley-Price, L. Holmes, K. Samadi, C. Dunesby-Bent. Subs: B. Williams, S. Bungay, L. Laird, S. Lewis, D. Walster.