Former Bashley central defender Steve Riley returned to haunt his old club with an injury-time equaliser which salvaged Newport a deserved point from a dour derby Eastern Division clash at the Recreation Ground.

The clock was showing some four minutes of stoppage time played when Riley rose salmon-like at the far post to plant home a firm header from Steve Leigh's inswinging corner kick.

Bash boss Barry Blankley reflected: "That's now the last three games, at Corby last week, at Ashford on Saturday and again today, where we've played well and led towards the latter stages. Yet we have only two points out of a possible nine to show for it. "I thought we did well in a match which didn't have a lot of chances in it and, although it was disappointing to lose such a late goal, it was probably a fair result in the end."

His opposite number, Tony Mount, agreed that it was a fair result adding: "I was disappointed with our performance but obviously pleased to get the point. I felt we had more to offer as a side but we looked very sluggish out there."

Midfielder Jimmy Anderson, playing only his second full game since breaking his leg earlier in the season, looked to have won it for the Foresters when he netted ten minutes from time.

Former Islander Andy Darnton led the charge from the back and found Roy Young hugging the left-hand touchline from where he threw in a deep cross onto the head of Anderson.

Newport's Riley was almost the hero of the hour on Saturday in their home clash with top-of-the-table Chelmsford City at St George's Park - in the very last minute the central defender nearly nicked it for the Islanders when his header rattled the crossbar.

Bashley paid the price for a missed David Puckett penalty at Ashford where two late goals from the home side resulted in a 3-2 defeat.

Two Darren Robson goals, a superb solo effort and a neat chip from the edge of the penalty area, had put Blankley's boys 2-1 ahead and former Saint Puckett should have sewn it up but he saw his weak spot-kick saved after Graeme Gee had been hauled down.

In the Dr Martens Premier Division, Havant & Waterlooville recovered from Saturday's disappointing 2-1 defeat at Ilkeston to down high-riding Salisbury 3-1 at West Leigh Park yesterday - courtesy of a Timmy Hambley hat-trick.

Hambley's goals all came from headers and the first arrived after just eight minutes when Aaron Cook arrowed a free-kick to the far post for the midfielder to nod home.

Salisbury, who drew 0-0 with Folkestone on Saturday, levelled on 15 minutes through Martin Shephard with a glancing header from Tyronne Bowers cross.

Paul Wood and Hambley rattled the Whites' woodwork midway through the first half, but the turning point came around the hour mark when Hawks manager Mick Jenkins threw on substitutes Gary Connolly and Jamie O'Rourke.

With 20 minutes remaining, Connolly played a short corner to Wood and Hambley was again waiting at the far post to head in. Another Connolly corner saw Hambley complete his treble ten minutes later.

H&W manager Mick Jenkins said: "Those two second-half changes made all the difference. The pace of Jamie O'Rourke certainly turned it for us and, in the end, I thought we were comfortable winners."