A missed penalty cost Banstead Athletic maximum points on Saturday.

Staines are playing their home games at Egham Town's Tempest Road ground, and a badly churned up pitch made life difficult for both sides.

But Banstead went close after only three minutes.

Ben Shannon, prominent on the left with some good link-up play, set-up Lee Cormack in front of Staines' goal, but he swept the ball wide of the far post.

Then Cormack's clever backheel allowed Shannon to send the ball low across the face of goal, but Simon Mitchell was unable to get a touch with the net at his mercy.

Then Mitchell, fed by Cormack, rounded a defender, but keeper Matt Lovett held the swerving shot.

Staines found it hard to break Banstead's defence down, with Wayne Finnie, Mark Leahy, Aaron Day and goalkeeper Tommy Dunn in fine form.

Graham Knight was unlucky not to give Athletic a 27th minute lead.

He picked up a miscued clearance and hammered a shot against an upright.

Then Mitchell rounded a defender, but keeper Lovett held on to his curling shot.

At the other end, Paul Johnson curled a free-kick against the Banstead bar and Dave Everitt's follow-up was blocked.

James Greenaway, who shone in Banstead's midfield with his non-stop effort, released Mitchell, but Lovett made another fine stop, while Cormack fired just over after a long ball from Day.

Banstead took the lead two minutes after the break. Shannon drilled a low free-kick across the six-yard box and Knight stabbed the ball home.

Unfortunate

The lead lasted just seven minutes, Reilly latching onto a long ball. Dunn was unfortunate, kicking the ball against the keeper who ran it into an empty net.

Banstead still looked the likelier winners and they were awarded a penalty when Shannon was tripped in the box.

But Mitchell blew the chance, blazing the spot-kick over the bar.

Cormack then fired inches past and upright and Banstead were left thoroughly frustrated when sub Bobby George got around a defender and fired in a shot which struck an upright.

Banstead: Dunn, Day, Langford, Leahy, Finnie, Greenaway, Smith, Knight, Mitchell (George 87), Cormack, Shannon.

January 31, 2003 12:30