Rovers looked on the bright side after recording a goalless draw in Bedfordshire last night.

Wakering chiefs reckoned the stalemate against a Barton side one position below them was a point gained rather than two lost.

On a bitterly cold night and watched by 50 hardy souls, Barton's Keith Coughlan came closest to drawing first blood when his dropping shot went over the bar after three minutes.

But then the visitors carved out their own chances through Dan Trenkel and Mark Hampshire.

Trenkel latched on to a through ball after in the seventh minute, but his shot was saved by Brad Gillman in the home goal.

Hampshire's chance came in the 20th minute yet he was unable to connect while well positioned in the six-yard box.

Gillman was again pressed into action five minutes into the second half when he saved Danny Scopes' point-blank effort.

Adam Swindell made his first team Wakering debut after 57 minutes and saw team-mate Keith Wilson miss a golden chance on 64 minutes in a carbon copy of Hampshire's opportunity.

Coughlan was handed another chance to break the deadlock on 72 minutes, yet he fired over the bar again.

Wakering manager Alan Hull came off the bench for his first appearance of the season after 84 minutes but saw his team go home with a share of the spoils.

Published Wednesday, January 29, 2003

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