The six-pointer ended with a point apiece and our run of improved form continued thanks to another good all round team effort. Having survived a penalty at the end of the first half, a lapse in defence allowed Saltdean United to take the lead. For all the times we have coughed up a goal having just scored, it was nice to see the lads strike back while the home supporters were still celebrating. Neither side could get the winner and we had some good chances towards the end of the second half to win it but at least we are picking up points.

I was informed that not much of note had happened in the first twelve minutes as unfortunately Brighton were playing at home and there was heavy traffic in the area making me late. The first action I witnessed was Sammie Saward making a safe catch from a Saltdean corner. As the quarter hour approached, Hamza Abubakari latched onto a throw to drive down the left wing only for the defence to clear. A couple of minutes later, Jason Stripp laid the ball to Ousmane Balde Dansoko allowing him to break into the box on the left. The ball was cleared out for a throw and from this we had possession around the edge of their box only to let an offside relieve the pressure. It was short-lived as on 17mins Stripp hit a long ball down the left to Gus Ward. He controlled it, took it into the box and cut back for a shot that was narrowly wide of the left post. Two minutes later Balde Dansoko was on the end of a ball into the box but was not able to get the ball down so his shot was high.

It went end to end on twenty minutes as Saltdean attacked down the left and were blocked in the box. The lads then pushed forward to the edge of their box only to cede possession and see Saltdean beat our offside line but then shoot high and wide. It was a warning about losing the ball as on 23mins Saltdean had a four on two break but one of our two was Stephen Hodge and he won the ball back on the edge of the D. A chance for us at the other end as Ward took the ball into the box on the left and teed up Balde Dansoko but his shot lacked power and was gathered by the keeper. On the half hour, Jack McDonnell made a driving run into the box but was stopped and then fouled outside the box for a free kick that came to nothing. Inside the last ten minutes of the half and a Stripp corner from the right found Prince Aderogba for a scuffed shot. However, the ball bounced up and Balde Dansoko had an overhead kick that was just wide of the left post.

Into added time and Saltdean put a throw into the box. McDonnell was focused on the ball in the air when a Saltdean player got in the way of his kick and went down. An unfortunate penalty. The player stepped up and struck the ball against the bar. It rebounded back to him and he tried again and hit the bar again. Our defence could have been sharper as it was third time lucky for the taker as he finally put the ball in the net. Saltdean celebrations were in full swing as our players protested and the referee went to talk to the lineslady. The question was had Saward touched the bar onto the bar from the first strike. I thought not and so did the officials with the result being a free kick for us since you can only strike the ball once from the spot if no other player touches the ball. Interesting how this came up the following day at Selhurst Park and I presume Mark Guehi is better acquainted with the rules now. All square at half time.

An early chance in the opening minutes of the half as a cross from Balde Dansoko found McDonnell who shaped for a volley only for the offside flag to go up. Saltdean were attacking down the right a minute later but Aderogba blocked the cross and Hodge won the lose ball and played it forward to Ward. He controlled the ball, laid it off to McDonnell to cross to Balde Dansoko only for the flag to go up again. With 52min played, Saward was called upon the make a save from a sharp shot. It was a ball out from Saward that found Jimmy Williams on the left to gather the ball, defend it and win a corner. Stripp sent in the corner and the ball came out to Abubakari for a shot. He was on target with his shot but a Saltdean head bobbed up to deflect it over the bar. From the cleared corner McDonnell won a free kick on the right corner of the box. David Heaton delivered the kick and Aderogba sent his header just wide of the left post. On 57mins Hodge sent the ball down the left to Balde Dansoko. He took it forward and then laid it back to Williams for a cross but it was too low and easily cleared. Two minutes later Saltdean had one of their best chances as a throw into the box was met by their forward who controlled it well, turned sharply and got off a shot that needed a good save by Saward at the foot of the post.

After an unproductive free kick and corner for us, Saltdean had a throw on the left. A neat one-two down the line opened us up and the cross found their forward unmarked in the box to head home. A rare lapse in our defence. The home supporters were still celebrating and the bench exhorting them on to get another when we broke down the right, centred the ball and a left foot shot by Ward found the net for the equaliser. Nothing better than making a quick reply. Barely a minute later McDonnell was breaking down the line on the right, Heaton picked it up and crossed to the left. Hodge gathered it and fired in a shot that the keeper had to tip over the bar. The corner came to nothing and a first change saw Tyrone Magala-Bryan replace Williams. On 72mins Balde Dansoko had another shot on target that was well saved by their keeper as his last contribution as Keanan Allassani replaced him.

Into the last ten minutes of normal time and both side were keen to get the winner but also aware of the need to avoid conceding late in the game. McDonnell and Aderogba teamed up to thwart a Saltdean attack and end up winning a goal kick. A double change on 82mins as Ollie Powers replaced Abubakari and, having given everything, McDonnell was replaced by Ruebuan Zamorano. On 85mins Saltdean were putting us under pressure but bodies were being put on the line and Heaton got in the way of a shot allowing us to finally get the ball clear. Three minutes to go and a Heaton cross was collected by Magala-Bryan on the left and he won a throw. From the resulting throw a shot was deflected behind, ruffling the side-netting. The corner from the left by Stripp was hit long and put behind for a corner from the right. Saltdean cleared it and were away down the right but Hodge was there to stop it and put the ball out for a throw. From the throw Saltdean won a corner on the right and which was then smacked straight into the right post.

Into added time and Allassani was twisting and turning to find an opening before crossing to Ward. Saltdean were able to clear and were down the other end to have a corner in the fourth added minute. The pressure was relieved when the corner was hit straight out. Allassani won a corner for us in the next minute as added stretched on but nothing came of it. Into a seventh minute of added time and a long throw from Ward was headed on and Heaton hit a shot just wide of the right post. Still pressing for a winner, the final whistle came and both sides had to settle for a point that was a better result for us than the home side.

A win would have moved us up the table but we stay in eighteenth place, still six points ahead of Saltdean but having played two games more. Little Common were unable to play this weekend and are eight points away with two games in hand. We were trying to catch and overhaul Shoreham but they were able to record their second win in the last five games and move four points ahead of us as well as move up to fourteenth place. The team Shoreham beat was Loxwood who drop to seventeenth place, two points above us with a worse goal difference but a game in hand. Loxwood host a Crawley Down Gatwick side on a good run next Saturday. Pagham are a further point away after defeat at Petersfield. Wick were not able to play this weekend but are a four points ahead of us on the same games played. Big winners this weekend were Horsham YMCA who won at the Withdean to move to the top of our group in thirteenth place.

We have a Friday evening game against Peacehaven & Telscombe while Saltdean visit Pagham. Shoreham visit a struggling Bexhill United, while Little Common host AFC Varndeanians. Tough visits to form sides are faced by Wick as they play Eastbourne United and Horsham YMCA as they go to Roffey. Our recent efforts have seen us soar to seventh in the FA Full Time 6 match form table. Little Common, Loxwood and Saltdean are fourteenth to sixteenth while our next opponents Peacehaven are eleventh.