A late goal from super-sub Jidi Ogunbote earned Basingstoke Town a point against Maidenhead United in their Boxing Day clash away from home.
A bad-tempered 90 minutes saw six bookings and ’Stoke suffered an early loss of captain Ashley Bayes, who was rushed to hospital following a blow to the head minutes before half time.
The loss compounded an unfortunate trend for Town, who saw keeper Simon Moore controversially dismissed in the same fixture last year. And, earlier this year against Maidenhead, keeper Chay Morris was stretchered off, leading to the game being abandoned.
Bayes was taken to Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, but his injury is not serious.
The match saw striker Delano Sam-Yorke join the starting eleven for the injured Shaun McAuley. The game started with the home side having the upper hand. The Dragon’s were forced to clear off the line in the third minute. Persistent attacking by the hosts forced six corners in the opening 10 minutes. Leigh Henry nearly put the hosts in front, volleying wide from a Leon Solomon cross.
The Dragons eventually found their footing. Wes Daly’s 30-yard drive was deflected wide. After 20 minutes, Maidenhead keeper Billy Lumley made a fine save in the top right after Tim Sills volleyed on a Lake flick.
As the half entered its closing stages, both teams looked set to score at any minute. Sills had a penalty appeal waved off. At the other end, Jay Gasson’s last-second challenge blocked Magpies frontman Alex Wall.
Disaster hit minutes later when Bayes collided mid-air with Mark Nisbet and struck his head after landing awkwardly. The game was delayed for 10-minutes as medics stretchered him off. Morris donned the gloves to fill the Basingstoke net.
The Dragon’s started the second half slowly as concern for Bayes weighed heavily on the players’ minds.
United took advantage, putting reserve keeper Morris under pressure. Reece Tilson-Lascaris shot wide and Nisbet’s effort was palmed away.
United broke the deadlock on the hour mark following a mistake from Morris. The keeper fired his clearance straight at the advancing Wall, who converted from a tight angle.
The goal spurred the visitors on and shortly after Adam Mekki nearly bagged an equaliser, striking the crossbar following a superb run. Seconds later Lake’s left-footed drive missed by inches.
On 75 minutes, the Dragon’s got their reward when sub Ogunbote headed home a Toby Little cross.
After the equaliser, both teams locked down their defences and the forwards were shut out for the final 15 minutes.
Morris redeemed himself by pushing a Richard Pacquette effort wide. And Town’s final effort came nail-bitingly close when David Pratt failed to get any power into a header following a Mekki set-up.
And travelling fans breathed a sigh of relief in the final minute of added time when Morris saved a last-ditch Pacquette effort.
The point puts Basingstoke Town seventh in Conference South, trailing Dover Athletic by three points.
The Dragons face Maidenhead United again on Saturday at the Camrose.
