Basingstoke Town 2, Kettering 2

ERNIE HOWE praised his side for their positive response to a difficult week at the club.

The Town camp had been very subdued in the aftermath of their FA Cup exit at Bracknell on Tuesday, and Howe had the tough task of raising morale ahead of Saturday's game.

However, he achieved it - and a hugely improved display saw Town deservedly earn a point and perform with resilience.

Howe promised new faces, and making their debuts were midfielders Ben Surey and Matthew Warner, brought in from Crystal Palace and Wycombe Wanderers respectively.

The returning Craig McAllister proved how vital he is to the Blues cause, leading the line well and winning aerial balls to give Town a physical presence up front that they have missed.

It was the 14th minute when McAllister typically rose strongly to head home from five yards Warner's excellent ball in from the right flank.

Tobi Ositola beat the Town off-side trap and rounded Scott Tarr midway through the half, but contrived to put the ball wide.

Two set pieces from the new boys also saw Town come close to a second goal.

Surey's 25-yard effort brought a fine save from Paul Pettinger diving to his left at full stretch, and Warner's curled free-kick 10 minutes later narrowly missed the top corner.

Town still led 1-0 at half-time.

But the game exploded into life on 50 minutes when Kettering were awarded a penalty which Howe later described as "the strangest penalty decision I have ever seen".

A ball over the top down the right flank saw William Gourlay clear. Tarr rushed to the edge of the area to block and make the player's lob more difficult.

Gourlay was able to loft the ball over Tarr before the duo's collision, but, having seen the effort was going wide, referee Jones gave a penalty.

He deemed Tarr to have taken man before ball, even though Gourlay had played the ball before Tarr collided with him. Kettering's Craig Norman, who has scored 46 out of 47 penalties in his career, stepped up to take it after an age of trying to get the ball on the spot.

Tarr guessed correctly and dived low to his left to pull off a wonderful penalty save. He was then up to ensure Wayne Diuk didn't net the rebound, in a brilliant piece of goalkeeping.

However, five minutes later Kettering were level when Ositola netted from eight yards through a crowd of players, following a penalty area mele where three away shots were charged down.

It got worse for Town on 70 minutes when they went 1-2 down. A break down the left saw Ositola beat David Ray, cut into the area and find the unmarked Diuk 10 yards out.

He despatched the ball into the top corner despite the best efforts of Tarr, who scrambled across and got a hand to it.

But Town refused to buckle, and got a fine equaliser on 77 minutes. Nathan Stamp's near-post corner was glanced on by Jason Bristow into the net.

Boss Howe was pleased with his side's character.

He said: "After the week we have had, where we have taken a lot of criticism, we have responded in the right way.

"I've made the changes that were necessary, and the two new lads have done well. You also saw what a difference Macca makes.

"Jason has got a deserved goal and Scotty's penalty save was a really great one, though there is no consistency with referees.

"We could have folded when we went behind, but didn't. That is encouraging and there were other good things we must now build upon."

Basingstoke Town: Scott Tarr, Ben Surey, Ricky Allaway, David Ray, Jason Bristow, Steve Hemmings, Nathan Stamp, Efon Elad, Craig McAllister (Alex Ewin 81min), Neville Roach, Matthew Warner (Neville Stamp 82min). Not used: Simon Herbert, Ian Dickens, Jason Graham. Attendance: 338.

Town travel to Hayes tomorrow, kick-off 7.45pm.