PIDDLETRENTHIDE SPARTANS 2 BALTI HOUSE 2

BALTI boss Marco Nott saw his side rescue a point at Piddletrenthide Spartans which he believes keeps them in the hunt for the Dorset Senior League title.

With the Spartans having to field a makeshift backline, they started to assert themselves during the opening exchanges.

A flurry of activity in the visitors’ goal saw Piddletrenthide’s Adam Lloyd fire just wide before a series of set-pieces were kept out by Nott’s men.

The Spartans then had the ball in the net but Neil Kellaway’s header was ruled out and Balti striker Grant Chance failed to hit the target at the other end.

A reckless challenge by Balti’s Ricky Lane on Aaron Williams saw him given a straight red card after the break, while the Spartans’ defender could play no further part.

And a man to the good, Marcus Simpson opened the scoring for the Spartans after he held off his man and finished well.

Piddletrenthide soon made it 2-0 when Kellaway’s leap proved too much for the title-chasers to handle and he headed past Balti keeper Andy Nott.

But with 10 minutes left on the clock, former Spartan Ollie Stanton pulled one back for the visitors.

And then Chance managed to snatch a point for the leaders with a cool finish at the end, much to the delight of his manager.

He told Echosport: “It still gives us half a chance really. If we had lost the game the title would have been all over. That point keeps us in it, we are hanging in there.

“Phil Anderson was outstanding leading us at the back, and when Lewis Ironside came on I felt he changed the game a little bit, he was really lively.

“Nathan Aston also came in and did a really good job at right-back.”

On midfielder Lane’s red card, he added: “You can’t complain too much about it. I rang up Aaron Williams after the game to make sure he was alright because he is a good lad and I have a lot of respect for him.”

Spartans’ chief Kieron Howes added: “We have not lost to a top side in Balti who, with the squad they have, should have won this league by a mile.

“My guys are growing month on month.

“Once we add a bit of resilience we will compete with these superstars of the local game at the end of the season.”

Spartans: Quinault, Lewis, C Kellaway, Williams (Thompson (Limm)), Washington, Lloyd, Ross, Herouard (Paul), Simpson, N Kellaway, Samways.

Balti: A Nott, Aston (Pearce), Anderson, Grattidge, Houghton, Lane, Kenderdine (Ironside), Litherland, Lock, McClements (Stanton), Chance.

Dorset Cleaning Services Man of the Match: Jay Samways