Hellenic Premier Division

Brimscombe & Thrupp 0

Wantage Town 0

BRIMSCOMBE and Wantage Town shared the spoils in the battle of the top-two, writes Scott Boulton.

League leaders Brimscombe now have a three-game break as the chasing pack play catch-up.

Brimscombe boss Sam Prior felt all that was missing from this top of the table clash was a goal, he said: "Both sides had a chance each, a scrappy game that just needed a goal to get it going.

"We sit back now and don’t play until April 13, what will be, will be."

Wantage started brightly, the earliest chance came 12 minutes in when Matt Cheetham’s goalward effort was dealt with easily. Wantage bombarded the Brimscombe box, but the Lilywhites defence dealt with whatever was thrown at them.

Kaylem Patterson had chance to shoot on goal when he found the ball at his feet, but he couldn’t get the ball away in time.

Ben Cook curled his shot towards the net, but Brimscombe keeper Ash Gale got across his goal to palm it away out of immediate danger. With ten minutes left of the half, the visitors were awarded a free-kick 25 yards out, the curling effort dipped at the last minute, but Gale was on hand to knock the effort away for a corner.

Brimscombe bucked the trend - Sam Blackie tried his luck, but his covering defender dealt with any problems. Brimscombe were relieved to have gone in to the break at 0-0.

It was more even in the second-half, Ollie Pitt saw his effort blocked by Chris Jackson.

Wantage come out fighting and came close again when Jack Dunmall hit the bar. Jack Smith, Josh Jones and Josh Swales all took to the field for Prior’s men.

Brimscombe could have gone in front and were very unlucky not to be when a switched ball to Edd Major saw his lose his man before slipping the ball past Curtis Meare, the ball look destined for the bottom corner, but it curled away and clipped the post before trickling out of play. Ben Deakin nearly stole it at the end when he shot towards the Wantage goal but it was blocked by his own team-mate.