BLANDFORD UNITED 3 BALTI SPORTS 3

BALTI Sports’ stuttering form continues to dent their push for the top of the Dorset Premier League as they had to come from two goals down to grab a point against Blandford United on Saturday.

Marco Nott’s men were hampered by some of their key men finishing work late prior to kick-off, meaning a trio of Balti players had to dash to make the start.

And after manager Nott had reshuffled his pack, a quickfire blitz from the Royals put them 2-0 ahead as Balti struggled to get going.

The away side then began to find their feet in the encounter and got a goal back before the break.

Sammy Nichols cut inside and was brought down to earn the visitors a penalty which Charlie Kenderdine converted to make it 2-1.

Balti were then denied another spot-kick moments later, with Nott believing it was more conclusive than the first penalty decision.

Sports looked to press for an equaliser early in the second half but Blandford added a third after some sloppy work in the Balti midfield.

A Royals’ attacker found the net from out of nowhere to regain his side's two-goal cushion.

Josh Burton was on hand to give Sports a lifeline and make it 3-2 after turning the ball home following a scramble in the Blandford box.

And, as the visitors threw men forward, substitute Ricky Lane found Charlie May and he finished well to give Balti a point.

Despite his side fighting back to secure something to show for their efforts, Nott was left despondent as he felt Balti let two points slip.

“It’s frustrating really,” he told Echosport.

“Blandford literally had three or four shots all game and scored three goals. That just seems to be the way it’s going at the moment.

“We seem to be knocking at the door and it’s not happening, but we shouldn’t need to be scoring four goals to win a football match.

"We should be defending a lot better than we are.

“With 15 minutes to go and 3-1 down you think it’s going to be a terrible result.

“At least at 3-3 we didn’t lose the game but ideally you would like to win the game really. It’s a game we should have won.”

He added: “We had lads that were at work who didn’t turn up until right before kick-off.

“I was even putting my kit on and I was going to have to play up front until they got there.”

Balti: A Nott, Pearce, Burton, Grattidge, Batchelor (Proffitt), Devaney, May, Ironside, Kenderdine, Nichols, Andrews (Lane)