Downton 0 Bemerton HH 0

Downton 0 Bemerton HH 0

Robins: Aldridge, Scott, Smith, Finnigan (c), Rusher, Waters (Gulliver, 85), Holmes (Coker, 35), Brooks, Herbert, Turpin, D. Western.

Heath: Porter, Bowman, Roe, Roberts, Metcalfe (Williams), Mankin, Perrett, O'Keefe, Slade (c), Young (Sanger), Dawes.

Sub not used: Batchelor.

DOWNTON and Bemerton Heath Harlequins played out an entertaining 0-0 draw at Wick Lane on Easter Monday.

The visitors were without Jack Eves, Dan Pancaldi and former Robins defender Josh Thomas. Downton had selection problems of their own on the day of the game, with Declan McGregor celebrating the birth of a baby girl, Joe Dorrington ill and Brandon Mundy pulling up in the warm up.

Heath had the better of the chances. Danny Young and Seb Dawes both wasted two one-on-ones, and Graham Mankin missed with a volley at the far post, then he went clean through and hit his shot straight at Charles Aldridge in the Robins goal.

In the second half, Young missed from six yards, as did Dawes. Jack Slade did get the better of Aldridge but Ben Smith cleared it off the line, Kane O'Keefe hit the post and Eddie Perrett squandered a close-range opportunity.

Downton's best chance came when Nic Turpin lobbed Grant Porter but also cleared the bar.

“It was a good point,” said Robins boss Jeff Softley.

“We were up against it with the players we had missing, and when Matt Holmes went off injured in the first half, we only had one more substitute left after that.

“Bemerton had more chances than us, but Nic Turpin almost nicked it. It was a typical local derby with not much football played, so I was pleased with the point.”

Bemerton manager Ian Chalk commented: “We were much better than them and it was one-way traffic for 85 minutes.

“We had about 20 chances. Ben Smith stopped Jack Slade's shot with his hand but the referee decided that he didn't mean it, which I didn't understand.

“I was disappointed not to win.”