WESTLAND SPORTS 1

BALTI SPORTS 1

MARCO Nott’s side didn’t achieve the exact revenge they were hoping for after their opening day defeat to Westland Sports as the sides couldn’t be separated on Saturday.

Balti Sports took a one-goal lead into the break through Josh Houghton before the hosts struck in the second half to earn themselves the point.

They could have had all three had it not been for Andy Nott in the Balti goal who saved a penalty with five minutes to go.

Asked whether a draw was the fair result, Nott told Echosport: “On the balance of play I thought it was.

“They put us under a lot of pressure and Andy (Nott) in goal was outstanding. He made save after save and he kept us in it for a period.

“So I think a draw was a fair result. We had a lot of players out so to come away with a point is a good result.”

With Holt United in cup action, Nott’s side knew they would go back to the Dorset Premier League summit with a result away from home.

And they took the lead inside the first 15 minutes.

A mistake at the back from the home side allowed Houghton to nip in, retake possession and slot home a cool, composed finish to give his Balti side the lead.

The match was devoid of many chances, but the hosts drew level midway through the second half.

With 20 minutes to go, Westland equalised with a header from Henry Lawrence-Napier inside the six-yard box after the Balti stopper didn’t come for the ball.

Balti had a penalty shout turned down before the home side had a glorious chance to win the game.

A Balti defender scythed the Westland striker down when he was one-on-one, but with the new rules in place he wasn’t sent off and was given just a yellow to go alongside the spot-kick.

It soon turned into a win-win for the away side as Nott made the save to earn his team the point and the manager was quick to praise Jason Pearce, who he described as an ‘eight out of 10’.

Nott added: “Jason was outstanding. He created a lot of chances for us.

“We had chances in the first half to kill the game off but, I can’t really complain.”

Now top of the league, Balti take on Gillingham Town Reserves on Saturday.

Balti: A Nott, Pearce, Welch (Andrews 80), Proffitt, Anderson, Taylor, Devaney, Nicholls, Zima, McClements, Houghton. Subs not used: Burton, M Nott