SEVEN days after dealing Amesbury’s promotion hopes a severe blow New Street entertained another side on the fringes of the promotion positions and took a share of the points and goals at a sunny but chilly Foxcotte Park.

On a bumpy pitch which at times made control difficult the visitors started brighter with Allan Ralph, deputising in goal for Dave Tasker, saving from Sam Carter and then seeing Morgan Turner fire wastefully high and wide after fastening on to a through ball.

Carter was in the thick of things and a long run and pull back provided an opening for James Shering and then collecting a caution for a challenge on Liam Wilkins.

A brief and unnecessary flare up saw cautions for Casson Spencer and the visitors’ Anthony Harris with Wilkins very fortunate to escape the same fate for his part in the proceedings.

The game was stop start before New Milton broke the deadlock after 35 minutes. Shering’s through ball split the defence and Paul Bayston shot past the advancing Ralph.

New Street’s attacking play had foundered on the edge of the area for most of the half they found an equaliser five minutes before the break. The visiting defence only half cleared a right wing cross, Harry Burt stabbed the ball back into the area from the other flank and Spencer bravely beat the onrushing keeper to level the scores in what was the last significant action of the half.

As in the first half the visitors started the second half the stronger and were foiled three times in as many minutes by the offside flag as the home defence pushed forward at every opportunity.

Turner did beat the trap once but his control let him down at the death and Robb produced a welltimed saving tackle to deny Anthony Harris in the act of shooting.

Street took play to the other end with Burt’s effort from 25 yards being fumbled by keeper Tom Rees but Wilkins, off balance, scooped the loose ball over the bar.

The game had something of an end of season feel about it, rather confirmed when Robb was penalised on the edge of the area and the freekick cleared the bar by some considerable distance.

Ralph went low to his left to deny Shering, and Rees at the other end had to leave his area quickly to beat Shane Lock to a bouncing ball before the last real chance of the game saw Matt O’Dell too high with a header at the far post.

Another good point for Paul Reidy’s young side against a side which pushed Team Solent to the limit five days earlier and confirmation of the progress being made on the field this season after a couple of Reidy said: “We didn’t play well during the first half but the second was much better and we could have nicked it at the end.

"I think a draw was a fair result. I can’t be more happy with the lads as we are becoming harder to beat and are getting results”.