On the face of it Great Wakering's failure to win at bottom club Southall, who had avoided defeat in only seven of their 30 Ryman League Division Three games previously, looks a bad result.

In reality, Southall, whose very existence in the League was in jeopardy a month ago when they were suspended by the Ryman for a short spell, are a very much changed outfit these days.

They have signed a huge cluster of new players and, although this is unlikely to save them from the ignominy of finishing bottom, this was their second successive draw and they look to be building well for next term.

Certainly they look well capable of now giving most sides at this level a decent game.

Not that this was any real comfort to Wakering. In their first season as a Ryman club they are near certainties for promotion - needing just eight points from their last seven matches - but badly want to go up as champs.

The two points dropped here certainly didn't help their title cause and, if nearest rivals East Thurrock can win at Abingdon tomorrow night, the village side's lead at the top will be down to four points.

On Saturday, Rovers'attack was boosted by the return of long term injury casualty Mark Hampshire, but on the debit side his attacking "partner in crime" Paul Flack was sidelined through injury along with assistant manager Alan Hull.

With Danny Scopes injured, and Tommy Dalgarno attending brother Micky's wedding, Wakering played central defender Micky Munro up front with Hampshire, who was understandablty lacking in match fitness.

Rovers went into a 15th minute lead when a long ball from Ollie Evans saw Munro miss out on an opportunity before Jimmy Ablitt lashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Dave Kellman spurned a great chance of equalising, created by Jesse Hall after 28 minutes, but Sean McCarthy's powerful header from a corner levelled the scores after 36 minutes.

Otman Bouietif shot across the face of the goal for Southall two minutes later and that proved the end of the scoring in a match which saw early second-half action hindered by a heavy hailstorm. Sadly there was little on the pitch to match its ferocity.

Wakering go to Jewson League Maldon in the East Anglian Cup area final tomorrow night before resuming their promotion bid at home to Egham next Saturday.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.