THE three-match home losing run was brought to an end but, with Hayes beating Bedford three-one at home, Basingstoke Towns task to avoid relegation looks harder than ever following Tuesday nights nil-nil draw with Lewes.
Having been relatively lucky with injuries and suspensions so far this season, manager Francis Vines luck seems to have run out in that department of late, with Joe Dolan returning after a three-match ban and other problems too.
On this occasion, Vines was without Matt Warner, the Clubs talismanic left flank midfielder, and Steve Dell, the right back and long throw specialist.
Luke Townsend was drafted in down the left, while David Ray was switched to right back.
Vines made other changes from Saturdays Newport defeat, benching the thus far ineffective striker Scott Fitzgerald and bringing in the pacier Carl Gibbs to partner James Taylor, the Clubs captain and leading goal scorer, up front.
And, with Anthony Storey ineligible against his old Club, playing a midfield combination of Ben Surrey and Simieon Howell.
Stuart Searle returned in goal following a bout of food poisoning, while Cristian Levis was again positioned on the wide right flank, a position where he has looked unhappy in recent games.
Levis again proved ineffective in the role in what was, in truth, a poor game of football.
Lewes looked occasionally dangerous on the break, but offered little all night.
And their hosts didnt produce much more.
In a dull first half, Taylor was denied a one-on-one with Steve Williams, the Lewes goalkeeper, by an offside flag.
And, in the second period, a long ball from Searle almost put Taylor clean through but the striker was unable to get a touch on the ball.
Gibbs, whose pace and trickery gave Basingstoke a dimension theyd lacked under the Fitzgerald/Taylor combo, managed to get a long range shot on target, but Williams saved comfortably.
And then both Ray and Jason Bristow proved unable to get headers on target from Townsend corners.
Scott Fitzgerald, who came on for the injured Howell in the 55th minute, also had a shot from distance, but his effort went wide.
Lewes, meanwhile, had a half-decent shout for a penalty for hand ball turned down while substitute Lee Farrell had a chance, but misdirected his header.
The game petered out for a draw, leaving Basingstoke six points from safety and a staggering 405 minutes of open play since their last goal at The Camrose.
Basingstoke (4-4-2): Searle; Ray, Bristow, Dolan, Watkins; Levis, Howell (Fitzgerald, 55), Surey, Townsend; Gibbs, Taylor. Subs not used: Davies, Brown, Minton, Lodge. |
