Player/Manager Mark Holton was left rueing the absence of key players for the long trip to Henley, as a weakened Southbank were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by a battling Associated Asphalt side.

Holton was already missing Bellman, Duncan, Gale and Hyslop through injury and unavailability when keeper James Spokes added himself to the list whilst the squad travelled to the game.  This left Holton no choice but to press-gang midfield general Paul Towner to fill-in for Spokes between the sticks.  On a brighter note news filtered through before kick-off that AA’s only had ten men and so The ‘Bank were still confident of securing all three points.

The game kicked off with a confident Southbank stroking the ball around nicely with the abundance of space on the huge Highlands Farm pitch suiting the hoops passing game and numerical advantage.  Despite this Southbank failed to show enough urgency and a tendency to over pass blunted their attacks.  The opening goal finally came when Player/Manager Holton tapped in from close range for his fifth goal of the season following a prolonged spell of Southbank pressure.  With Towner a mere spectator in goal this should have been the first of a glut of Southbank goals but the lethargic ‘Bank failed to turn their first half possession in to goals.

With only a 1-0 lead at half time Southbank needed to step up a gear in the second half.  AA’s finally added an eleventh player as the second half kicked off and this seemed to spark some resemblance of life into The ‘Bank.  Unfortunately this spark didn’t produce the most positive of performances.  A succession of needless fouls and misplaced passes gave AA’s a lifeline back into the game.  It was one of these many fouls that led to AA’s equaliser when a free kick on the edge of the area was hammered past stand-in keeper Towner.  With his sight blocked by a crowd of players Towner just about saw enough of the shot to see it nestle in the back of the net.

The niggly nature of the game eventually saw AA’s reduced to ten men again as Steve Brown was unsurprisingly on the end of wild kick from an AA’s midfielder.  Browners “bubbly” nature had obviously taken its toll on those nearest him and it resulted in Southbank again having the numerical superiority.

Southbank again started to open up the tiring AA’s defence and at last created some decent chances, with Mark Broomfield excelling in the space on the left wing and combined well Woodrow at the heart of The ‘Banks most productive football.  Unfortunately, the AA’s keeper was in fine form and was the equal to the best Southbank could muster.  A succession of saves, with the pick of the bunch a full stretch figure tip save to deny Steve Woodrow, looked like frustrating Southbank and earning AA’s a point.  Allan Kemp did his best to clinch the game when a shot on the turn on the edge of the box finally beat the diving keeper to give Southbank a 2-1 lead.

Holton immediately tried to shut up shop and hold on to the lead by replacing himself with Luke Hultquist but the ref allowed AA’s to kick off before the change was made.  Before the sub could be made AA’s had gone down the other end and equalised with a good effort in to the top corner that again left Towner with no chance.  A desperate last ten minutes saw Southbank pushing for the winner but their frantic attempts to clinch the win were fruitless as AA’s held out for an unlikely point.

A more ruthless display was needed by The 'Bank as AA's were there for the taking and the two points dropped could prove costly to their promotion challenge as both AFC Victory and Southcote Video Res continued their winning ways.

Team: Towner, Booth, Latch, Fitzpatrick, Price, Thurgood, Kemp, Brown, Broomfield (Hultquist), Woodrow, Holton