RINGWOOD Town were made to rue a hatful of chances as they shared the points with East Cowes Victoria in a 0-0 draw at Long Lane, writes Andy Jones.

Although, Richard Morse’s side will feel they should have taken all three points in a game they dominated.

Harry Smith spurned Town’s best chance when he beat Vics keeper Alex Ram to the ball but lifted his shot over the bar with an empty net in front of the striker.

Ringwood keeper Joel Hirdle also produced a brilliant point-blank save to ensure Morse’s side registered just their second clean sheet of the Wessex One campaign.

A vocal Ringwood started brightly and within the first minute the home side had carved out the first opportunity.

Smith was able to lay the ball off for captain Ben Harris, whose shot from the edge of the box was hit low and hard but could not find its way through a sea of orange legs.

Smith then had a chance about 20 minutes in after Callum Horton slipped the striker in on goal with a wonderful through ball.

However, the Ringwood man was unable to convert the chance as he bore down goal and fired straight at visiting keeper Ram.

With half an hour approaching, Cowes had their first real effort on goal. Jimmi Burton latched on to a through ball, despite looking half a yard offside, but Hirdle was quickly out to smother the striker’s shot.

The two teams went into the break all square but Ringwood should have been in front with the amount of chances they had created.

Smith then had a couple of chances, the first of which was a neat turn in the box but the striker dragged his shot well wide before another one-on-one opportunity was saved by Ram with his feet.

The rebound fell to Harrison Fay, whose shot was blocked and looped out for a corner.

Hirdle was then called into action and made a great point-blank save as an East Cowes attacker took a shot from around the six-yard box.

Moments later, with an hour played, some sloppy defending by Charlie Hitchings almost undid Hirdle’s great work.

The left-back gave the ball away on the edge of the box but the East Cowes attacker dragged his shot wide - much to the relief of the home fans.

Chance after chance went begging as Harrison Clarke and substitute Josh Taylor went close but Ringwood lacked that clinical touch.

The game entered the final 15 minutes and the frustration of the fans and dugout was starting to show.

Substitute Nick Magee almost scored with his first touch as connected well with a corner but the header glanced agonisingly past the far post.

Jack Barton nearly clinched the winner on the stroke of full-time as he rose highest to connect with a cross, but his effort whistled just wide of the post and again Ringwood were left wondering what they had to do to score.