WHITES LEFT DIDDY’S LATE
IN THE battle between nearly top and bottom of the league, honours ended even in a match Salisbury will rue dropping points after conceding a 96th-minute equaliser.
The first few minutes were bright with both sides showing positive attacking intent.
In the tenth minute, Salisbury carelessly gave away possession in their own half with the defence pushing forward. Didcot’s Sam Barder took aim from outside the penalty area to rifle home an unstoppable shot past the Salisbury keeper to put the visitors ahead.
Salisbury, stung into action by the concession, pressed forward with increasing intensity. The next ten minutes saw Whites’ Wayne Robinson fail to convert a couple of half chances.
Good work by Ryan Penny to retain possession enabled him to play the ball into the area where Robinson and James Harding combined to set up the ball for Charlie Gunson to blast in an equaliser from short range after 27 minutes.
The best chance of the remainder of the half fell to Didcot’s Adam Learoyd who skied the ball over from close range. The interval came with both sides level.
Early in the second half the home side created several half chances, the best being when nobody could quite connect to a hard drive across the goalmouth. Salisbury played the sharper football going forward, but could not find the final telling pass.
Gunson again went close seeing his close range effort well saved by Didcot’s Leigh Bedwell.
In the second minute of the four added on by the referee, Salisbury finally broke down Didcot’s resistance. Good work down the right saw the ball crossed in low and hard to the crowded six-yard box. Harding’s quick reaction saw him cleverly back heel the ball into the net to the delight of the crowd.
The game was not over and in the sixth minute of additional time, a long throw saw the ball drop steeply into the six-yard box. In a mad scramble of players Didcot’s Cameron McNeill managed to get a touch on the ball and get the equaliser. STAR MAN: Charlie Gunson (Salisbury) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★