Saints, lying seventh in the BGB Southern League table, came away with a valuable point against the New Forest side, who are also chasing promotion.

Saints' performance was in marked contrast to their display last Saturday in Wales where they slumped to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Merthyr Tydfil, a team 11 places below them in the table.

Tom Winters put Brackley ahead in the 20th minute, but Merthyr hit back to lead 2-1 at the break. They added further goals in the 71st and 87th minutes.

Against Bashley, Brackley were full of fighting spirit and were unlucky not to return home with all three points. Winters caused the hosts a whole host of problems in the opening session, twice being denied early on by Bashley keeper David Elm.

Saints keeper Richard Knight was himself called into action when he produced a superb save to keep out a goalbound ball on the half-hour.

Just before the break good link-up play between Reeves and Kearns created space for Winters again, but again Elm saved the incoming shot.

After the break Brackley kept up the attack and were again thwarted by the Bashley defence.

In the 56th minute a deep cross into the home side's box saw efforts from Danny Spencer and Scott Hadland blocked and Savage's follow-up shot also denied. Brackley created a host of further chances, including another Spencer effort cleared off the goal-line in the last 10 minutes, but the score remained 0-0.

Brackley's game against Cirencester, currently third to bottom in the league, kicks off at 3pm on Saturday (23/02) at St James Park.