SHOLING slipped further off Sydenhams Premier Division title pace with a desperately disappointing 1-1 draw at Shaftesbury on Saturday.

Having taken the lead through Owen Roundell early in the second half, the Boatmen were pegged back by an 83rd-minute wonder goal on their first ever league visit to Cockrams.

It leaves them a whopping 17 points adrift of pace-makers Andover Town at the halfway point of the season.

On a chilly afternoon with a blinding, low sun, there was little doing in a goalless first half.

Sholing, though, always looked dangerous from Kev Brewster’s set-pieces and took the lead on 52 minutes when the dead-ball maestro delivered into the six-yard box for Roundell to scoop in his 11th goal for the club.

The Boatmen should have built on that breakthrough, but Lee Wort was unlucky on two occasions and Dan Miller headed their clearest chance just over from a corner.

Then, out of nothing, Shaftesbury got themselves back on terms.

The ball sat up nicely for Jack Mitchell 30 yards out and he connected perfectly to send a dipping volley into the net. He hit it so well that Jamie Bray, deputising for the unavailable Ryan Gosney, stood no hope in the Sholing goal.

The visitors forced five corners in quick succession to try and undo the damage, but Shaftesbury's keeper coped well with the aerial bombardment.

The Boatmen have a huge FA Vase third-round tie coming up at home to Blackfield & Langley on Saturday and this was not the ideal build-up.

Frustrated boss Dave Diaper admitted: “I’m very disappointed to leave Shaftesbury with just one point.

“Again, it’s two points dropped against another mid-table side.

“We must improve – and quickly.

“We created chances to win by at least two or three goals and they’ve had just one shot on goal.

“It was a great strike, but the fact he had enough time to pick his spot says it all.”

*Ashley Jarvis and Nathan Hurst were on target for Lymington Town in a 2-2 draw at Fareham.

Lymo led 1-0 through Jarvis at the break before Jay Eames levelled with a curling free-kick around the defensive wall on the hour.

When George Davis scrambled home following a last-minute corner, it looked as if Fareham had won it.

But some eight minutes of stoppage time had elapsed when Hurst struck a volley from just inside the box for 2-2.

Still the drama wasn't over with Lymo 'keeper Ross Casey beating away Ash Tattersall's late effort. It went straight to Callum Laycock who tapped home only for the 'goal' to be snuffed out for offside.

Lymington travel to Brockenhurst tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) in the Bournemouth Senior Cup.