AFC TOTTON boss Louis Langdown was happy to pocket “a good away point” at Wimborne Town yesterday in the Evo-Stik South West.

However, he reckons the result could have better still but for Jack Smith’s afternoon being prematurely ended by a nasty facial injury with the Stags enjoying a 1-0 interval lead.

Totton had the better of the first half and capitalised on 41 minutes when a long clearance by goalkeeper Shane Murphy found Craig Feeney who played in Nathaniel Sherborne to side-foot home.

But, with defender Smith’s aerial presence sorely missed, former Totton man Matt Oldring cashed in with a quick second-half equaliser for the Magpies, meeting Luke Holmes’s corner with a bullet header.

Reflecting on the 1-1 draw, Langdown said: “I’m well pleased. It’s a good away point and a positive result which keeps us going.

“In their previous two games Wimborne had been 1-0 down at Bideford and Evesham and came back to win both games 2-1.

“That’s seven out of the last nine points for us now and, if you’d told me we’d get that, I'd have bitten your hand off.”

Langdown, though, is convinced Totton could have clung onto their lead had Smith not been caught in the mouth by a stray elbow.

“You could see it coming,” he said. “I’d already spoken to the ref about their lad leading with his elbow and then Jack takes one right in the face and it splits his lip open. He’s had to have a few stitches in it.

“It’s a bit sore now, but Jack’s a great kid. I was walking off with him at half-time and his lip’s hanging off, but he just said ‘make sure you get a result!’ He’s a good character and it’s a shame we lost him. It took away the height we had attacking the ball.

“I had to bring Ian OIiver inside to central defence, and Jack Masterton, who had started well in the middle of the park, went to left-back.”

Totton, now seventh in the table, will try and rest some players for Tuesday's (7.45pm) Bigfreebet.com Challenge Cup first round tie at Winchester City*.

But, with their under-18s due to visit Salisbury in the FA Youth Cup second qualifying round, Langdown’s options are limited.

“I can’t nick the youth team boys because that’s a big game for them,” he said.

Smith is unlikely to feature, but Totton hope to welcome back midfielder Charlie Gunson (ankle) and, possibly, Aldershot loanee defender Jack Barker (adductor muscle).

*SALISBURY will want to get a frustrating Saturday out of their system in the Bigfreebet.com Challenge Cup at Dorchester Town tomorrow evening (Monday, 7.45pm).

The Whites are down to fifth in the Evo-Stik South West after drawing a home blank against the league’s leakiest defence.

Prior to their trip to the Ray Mac, rock-bottom Bishops Cleeve did not have a point to their name.

But they finally opened their account with an unlikely 0-0 draw against Steve Claridge’s title hopefuls.

Salisbury’s Marvin Brooks went closest to breaking the deadlock with an early header that was cleared off the line and Danny Young, Lewis Benson and Tom Whelan all had sniffs of a chance, but the Bishops weren’t for buckling.