Didcot Tn 2

(Stanley 50, Carnell 75)

Cirencester Tn 2

(Carnell og 4, Allaway 36)

New signing Luke Carnell scored for both sides – including a late leveller – as Didcot Town fought back from two goals down to grab a draw against Cirencester Town in a controversial Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West game at the npower Loop Meadow Stadium.

Carnell, signed from Abingdon United on the eve of the game, deflected Aiden Bennett’s cross from the right past keeper Marcos Belloli-Pereira to gift the Centurians a fourth-minute lead.

Another Bennett cross found Ben Wells, but he saw his header superbly stopped by Belloli-Periera.

Cirencester doubled their lead before half-time, but the circumstances infuriated the home side. Ellis Dunton’s shot was clearly handled home by Ricky Allaway.

But referee Robin Cox, who was presumably unsighted, felt he had no option but to award the ‘goal’.

Didcot improved in the second half and reduced the arrears on 50 minutes when Alex Stanley headed powerfully home from Elliott Osborne-Ricketts’s cross.

And, following a sustained spell of pressure, the home side equalised with 15 minutes to go.

This time it was the visitors who surrounded the officials in protest after debutant Carnell headed a Morgan Will-iams corner goalwards.

Keeper Dave Evans appeared to prevent the ball crossing the line, but the referee’s assistant was convinced the ball had gone in.

However, it was the visitors who came closest to taking all three points when substitute Sam Collier headed just wide.

Didcot Tn: Belloli-Pereira, Tappin (C Williams), Casson, Elkins, Carnell, Stanley, Osborne-Ricketts, Heapy, Haysham, Webb, M Williams. Subs not used: Hepburn, Harris, Concannon, Pereira.

Attendance: 128.