Dunstable Town thwarted by late Potters Bar Town leveller

A late equaliser denied Dunstable Town victory on Tuesday night as they were held to a 1-1 Calor Southern League Division One Central draw by Potters Bar Town at Creasey Park.

Former Luton Town starlet Adam Watkins had put the Blues ahead on 54 minutes, but the Scholars got out of jail with four minutes to go when Sean Grace equalised from a corner.

Despite the result, Dunstable stay third in the table as all the top teams drew their games.

Director of football John McLoughlin said: “It was two points dropped after a magnificent 85 minutes of domination, but the one error led to the equaliser and we have to learn to concentrate for the whole of the match, but we are still in third place and still on track.”

The visitors started purposefully and Dan Millard’s early shot tested Jamie Head after the Scholars had broken through the middle.

Dunstable proceeded to close the gaps as they worked hard and showed patience on a difficult and slippery pitch.

Town slowly wrested the initiative as a snapshot from Watkins was palmed away for a corner.

But the Potters Bar back four were in superb form as they thwarted repeated attacks from their hosts.

Striker Lee Roache, scorer of four goals in his last outing, was marked closely and was restricted to relatively few opportunities on the night.

Chances were at a premium as both sides failed to make the most of their set-pieces, but Watkins’ goal helped to spur the Blues on.

And they came very close to a second when Matt Nolan headed against the post and Chris Marsh was inches away from finding the top right corner as his effort swerved just wide.

The introduction of the pacy Tony Burnett and overlapping full-back Danny Murphy made a difference, with Burnett particularly instrumental.

But a corner four minutes from time saw Grace level as the Scholars held on to steal a point despite frantic late efforts from the Blues to force a winner.

Dunstable travel to North Greenford United in the league on Saturday and a week later go to Needham Market in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Blues: Jamie Head, Danny Hutchins, Leon Cashman (Danny Murphy), Joseph Bruce, Marc Leach, Moses Olaleye, Adam Watkins, Nathan Frater, Lee Roache (Tony Burnett), Matt Nolan, Chris Marsh. Substitutes not used: Tony Fontanelle, Warren Plowright, Damen Pickering.

Scholars: Tommy Glanville, Danny Green, Matt Clifford, Ashley Harrison-Barker, Sean Grace, Fabian Simms, Dan Millard, Ben Bowditch, Dean Green, Cole Penny, Bradley Wadkins. Substitutes used: Chris Morgan, Frankie Lane, Tobi Akinjirrin. Substitutes not used: Ed Thompson GK and Jack Friend.

Referee: Adrian Gillett.

Assistant Referees: Jeff Aldous and Douglas Lawson.

Attendance: 101.