FOLLOWING a poor performance in midweek at Malmesbury the Purton side showed massive improvement to share the points with Lydney Town on Saturday at the Red House, writes Alan Eastwood.

Uhlsport Hellenic Div One West

Purton 1

Lydney Town 1

Purton were without Blaine Fitzgerald for a sixth match on the trot, while Dave

Gee, Darren Brown, James Richards and Ryan Child were also missing.

Purton almost scored in the second minute when a great pass from Marcus Hall

was latched on to by Tom Swindall, whose attempted lob from 20 yards was just wide.

It was Lydney who took the lead when a ball was only half-cleared and it rebounded to Jared Liddington who beat Purton keeper Devon Brown with a hard low drive.

Purton hit back and Jonathan Cowley (25min), Johnny Coole (35) and Jamie McGahey (36) all saw their efforts saved by the visiting keeper.

Lydney rallied just before the break but Purton keeper Brown palmed a Richard Kear effort over the bar.

The second half saw both sides create chances but the defences held firm.

Purton could have taken all three points with a little luck in the last 10 minutes as Steven May headed just wide on 80 minutes, Swindall shot wide after 83 and Hall blasted a chance over the bar a minute later.

Purton's pressure paid off, however, in the 85th minute when Joe Dorey volleyed into the roof of the net from 18 yards after a McGahey corner.

A good team performance but Purton could have had all three points had they taken their earlier chances.