BLACKFIELD & Langley came within ten minutes of returning to the top of the Evo-Stik Division One South table at Highworth Town yesterday.

The Watersiders twice led with a couple of well-taken penalties, but the Worthians hit back each time for a 2-2 draw – the second equaliser coming on 82 minutes.

With a quarter of an hour gone Rudy Plummer was fouled for a penalty which he personally converted, but that was wiped out by a header from former Salisbury midfielder Wayne Turk.

A blatant push on Sam Poole invited Sami Makhloufi to restore B&W’s lead on 75 minutes and it was Callum Parsons who bundled in the late leveller.

“It wasn’t great to watch. The surface was good on a wet, windy day, but I don’t think we came to terms with the two slopes there, one going down and one sideways,” said B&L co-assistant boss Chris Farrell.

“There were some bizarre decisions made too and both sets of players were getting frustrated because it was stop-start all the time and the game didn’t flow. Listening to the spectators, they thought exactly the same.

“Highworth were difficult opponents with a point to prove from the week before (losing 3-0 at B&L in the FA Trophy). They’re aggressive and hard-working.

“We had to withstand quite a bit of second-half pressure, but Sam Poole and Ade Olumuyiwa defended well. It’s just disappointing we didn’t see the game out.

“But, as a managerial team, we said beforehand that we would have taken a point because we don’t see many people going to Highworth and winning.”