Premier Division

Blackstones  0    Long Buckby  0

Saturday, 01 March 2008

After a promising start this top of the table battle petered out into stalemate.

The first chance fell to Stones after six minutes when Richard Jones headed against the visiting crossbar and Phil Stebbing latched on to the rebound only for Farhad Afdandiyev to save well.

Buckby responded with Carl Holmes shooting over from distance and Darren Lynch heading against the bar from a Holmes free kick.

The game gradually developed into a stalemate.

The visitors started the second half well. Lynch headed narrowly wide after Dan Burke and Ryan Nash combined well on the right, while a full length save from Ian Flavell kept Lynch off the scoresheet. Flavell again did well to keep out a Holmes shot from as rolled free kick.

Stones came back and Ainslie's cross from the left found Stebbing who was unable to keep his shot down.

Three minutes from time Blackstones almost won it as the well placed Liam Harrold volleyed narrowly wide.

Blackstones: Ian Flavell, Robbie Blowers, Ross Watson (Andy Boome), Paul Sheehan, Richard Jones, Andy Lodge, Dan Cotton, Luke Kennedy, Liam Harrold (Ashley Cotton), Phil Stebbing, Kevin Ainslie.

Long Buckby: Farhad Afandiyev, Dan Burke, Craig Kelly, Darren Harmon, Stuart Smeathers, Jon Crockett, Ryan Nash (Steve Blackwood), Richard Bunting, Darren Lynch, Ben Foster (Jason Lee), Carl Holmes.