Basingstoke Town 1, Hayes 1

BASINGSTOKE Town got the draw and point they needed to guarantee Nationwide South football next season - but typically did it the hard way after putting their supporters through a roller-coaster ride of emotions during the vital clash against Hayes.

On a tense Saturday afternoon, where getting a positive result was paramount to both relegation-threatened clubs and their ambitions of league safety, another awful Camrose match exploded into life and controversy in the last five minutes when:

Town goalkeeper Stuart Searle clashed with opponent Stuart Goodall in anger after getting barged twice by the Hayes substitute on the edge of the box.

Tempers rose and referee Barnes, who had stopped play to blow for the initial foul on Searle, produced a red card and dismissed the Town shot-stopper for a forearm attack.

The referee then consulted with his linesman and duly stunned the Town ranks by giving Hayes a penalty, converted by striker Kieran Knight on 85 minutes after a lengthy melee and protests regarding the decision.

Town were awarded an equally dubious lifeline with a 90th minute spot-kick after David Ray was bundled into by Hayes goalie Kevin Davies coming for a deep left-wing cross. The maligned Lewis Cook, who had only been on the pitch for two minutes as a late substitute, confidently stepped up to score the equaliser that kept Town in the Conference South.

It was an action-packed finale that, upon the final whistle, led to angry exchanges between members of the Hayes board and their Basingstoke counterparts, particularly in reference to comments directed towards two of the club's stewards after they escorted the match officials off the pitch and down the sealed-off tunnel to the dressing room.

But the over-riding emotions were those of relief among the Town ranks, for when Hayes went 1-0 up and another poor home defeat loomed large, it appeared a potential nail-biter against Bognor Regis Town was on the cards next Saturday in their final fixture of the 2005-2006 season.

As things turned out, Carshalton's 2-1 defeat at Thurrock ensured Town were safe regardless - but new manager Francis Vines admitted he was fearful of the worst-case scenario.

Staring a third consecutive 1-0 home defeat in the face when Hayes scored their disputed penalty, Vines admitted: "I just couldn't believe it. We didn't deserve to lose to Histon last Monday and I thought, 'this cannot be happening again'.

"I had no complaint about the red card - Stuart had to go and it was a stupid reaction - but the referee had already blown up for a foul against him. And then the push was outside the box, even if the Hayes player did fall in it.

"The referee had the best view of the incident yet still went and asked the linesman on the far side, who had a terrible view.

"These are the types of decisions that can cost people their jobs and everyone has seen how the referee has stopped the game. He did not have a good day.

"Then he gave us a penalty. Was it to even up his mistake? You'll have to ask him that because he wouldn't explain himself to me afterwards when I asked him."

Vines went on to praise left-winger Lewis Cook for his coolly-taken penalty, saying: "The way the match was going, I was expecting their 'keeper to save it, but Lewis showed great confidence and it was a great finish with his right foot."

Vines admitted it wasn't a pretty display and that he is itching to give the fans the passing football he likes his teams to play, but he revealed his side's selection and approach was geared around a disciplined, rather than counter-attacking, focus.

"I was expecting Hayes to be a bit more urgent and direct but I wanted us to be disciplined, because getting a result was definitely more important than the performance today," he said.

"That's not to say we weren't going for a win - I always want my teams to win - but the boys had a job to do and they did it. We made sure we are staying up."

First published: Monday, April 24, 2006