Banstead Athletic were held to a 2-2 draw by Badshot Lea on Saturday.
Banstead couldn't have made a better start than scoring within the first five minutes through Tom Jelley a great run down the left handside twisting and turning he looked up didn't see anyone in the area to cross it to so he had a go himself, it went over the Lea keeper hit one post went back and hit the other and finished up in the back of the net. Badshot Lea I think you could say were stunned.
The surface of the pitch was a bit sticky but still both teams played some good football. On sixteen minutes Lea had a shot through Peters but it just curled wide of the post resulting in a corner which Banstead's Dilloway cleared.
Good work on twenty seven minutes by Banstead nearly got them a second. Lea were coming into the match and were causing Banstead problems.
To Banstead's credit they held firm, a couple of chances were cleared by them and they went in 1-0 up at the break. Second half got underway with some changes for Banstead, Wallace & Summers on for Quintyne and John. Good shot from Peters of Badshot Lea but again wide of the post.
On fifty seven minutes Lea were level through Peters he finished well. Great save by Rouse to deny Lea again. Sub for Banstead, Chalke on for Cole-Bolt. Lea made substitutions as well to try and turn the match.
On eighty one minutes Rouse in the Banstead goal should have cleared the ball but missed it and Lea scored from a neat finish from Brad Smith.
Banstead would have crumbled a few weeks ago but to their credit they fought on and were justly rewarded with the equaliser with four minutes to go from a twenty yard shot from man of the match Dean Sammut a great cross from Jelley after a good run down the left, Sammut took a touch and lifted the ball over the advancing keeper, within minutes Wallace had a chance to get all three points for Banstead but failed to take advantage.
Lea had one last try but this time Rouse caught the ball at the second attempt.
The As manager Paul Norris was " Over the moon with the point, it was the worst we've played for eight weeks, Badshot Lea are the best side we have played this season".
He added " Our back four were exceptional today, I've criticised them on previous ocassions, we are four games unbeaten now." He finished by saying: "A special mention for Rouse he did well in the awful conditions, apart from that one slip up, also Dean Sammut, never a moan, 8 out of ten for him every game."
Banstead Team: Rouse, Dilloway, Patterson, Sammut, Hawkins, Davidson, John, Quinton, Graham, Bolt, Ellu. Wallace, Chalke, Frimpong, Summers, Brady.
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