Uhlsport Hellenic Div One West

Purton 1 Tuffley Rovers 1

PURTON and Tuffley Rovers shared the honours in a very competitive league encounter at the Red House on Saturday, writes Alan Eastwood.

In the opening ten minutes Purton went close to scoring through Ritchie Saunders and Joe Dorey and five minutes later they were in front after Jerome Dodson and Ben Carter paved the way for Dorey to net from close range.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Shayne Bradley netted for Tuffley after a good cross from the right. On 30 minutes Tuffley should have gone ahead but Purton keeper Johnny Cowley saved a Bradley penalty kick.

Purton hit back and missed two great chances in the last five minutes of the half when Dodson shot over the bar and then past a post after good build ups.

The second half it was an end-to-end battle for the first 30 minutes but the visitors pinned Purton back somewhat in the last quarter of an hour and only sterling work by the Purton back four – well marshalled by centre half Steve Davies – and keeper Cowley kept them at bay.

Despite all the late pressure, however, Purton might have taken all three points as a breakaway by Dorey saw a shot and a follow-up from the rebound somehow blocked by Tuffley defenders.