GEOFF Butler again showed his managerial pedigree by leading his patched-up Bashley side to a 1-1 draw at play-off chasing Metropolitan Police on Saturday.

In fact, the Foresters - leading by a 69th-minute Richard Gillespie, pictured, goal - were looking odds on for victory until Kevin Cooper popped up with a timely 89th-minute equaliser.

Even by Butler's 'Geoff'll fix it' standards, this was no mean result.

He smiled: "I hadn't even met three of the players until training on Thursday night. We had Sam Wyeth and Barry Mason from Eastleigh and Jon Gittens (ex-Saint) brought along a different lad to the one he'd originally recommended to us - a wide player called Luke Allen.

"The lad didn't think he should start because he hadn't played all season, but I told him he was playing and he got through 90 minutes. He's a nice footballer, but way short of match fitness."

Gillespie's goal - his 33rd of the campaign - was described by Butler as "our best of the season."

Chris Knowles conjured up a cross at the end of a sweet passing move and the 20-year-old Romsey lad caught it beautifully with a side-foot volley.

Butler said: "We rode our luck at the start of the second half when Met Police missed two good chances, but then ten minutes from time Chris Knowles had a great shot which the keeper saved well to stop us going two up.

"Met Police are a massive side. Our only player who came anywhere near them height-wise was Matt Parnell but Gillespie and Mason are both pacy and we were too quick for their defenders."