A bone hard pitch with very little grass covering didn’t make it easy to play football and the game started scrappily with both sides making mistakes. 

Buses seemed to want the victory more than Southbank to claw their way out of the bottom two but their lack of quality meant that they had few shots on target in the first half. 

Southbank enjoyed the territorial advantage but also created little until just before half time.  A long throw from the right from Ben Neo was controlled on the chest outside the six yard box by Malcolm Everest.  After getting the ball under control with a defender in close attention he turned and fired an unstoppable shot into the postage stamp to give Southbank a half time lead.

The second half was more open than the first and Southbank were unlucky not to double their advantage early on when a long high ball cleared the Buses defence.  Everest beat the Buses centre back and keeper for the ball and the ball seemed destined for the back of the net before bouncing over the bar on the bone hard ground!

Southbank continued to create chances but couldn’t hit the back of the net whilst at the other end Buses looked dangerous from crosses.

And Southbank were made to pay for their missed chances when a cross from the right was met unchallenged by the buses substitute six yards out to equalise with 8 minutes left on the clock.

All of a sudden Southbank looked in danger of losing a game they should have won comfortably and they were indebted to goalkeeper Ian Harvey for two fine saves in the last five minutes to preserve a point.

Overall a very disappointing performance and one that must not be repeated on Tuesday night against Cav Park Reserves.

Team: Harvey, Fullbrook, Edwards, Guppy, Tappern, Cook, Lobato, Persuad, Neo (Storey), Everest, Woodrow