THEY say a point on the road is no bad thing, but Winchester City boss Craig Davis couldn’t help but feel short-changed by yesterday’s 1-1 draw at third-to-bottom Mangotsfield United.

The Citizens are still well placed, fifth in the Evo-Stik South West, but it was two points dropped as far as Davis was concerned.

Having taken a 67th-minute lead at Cossham Street through skipper Jamie Barron, Winchester were pegged back from the penalty spot with just five minutes remaining.

“It’s disappointing, we were so comfortable for most of the game,” said Davis. “To concede a penalty late on and drop two points was a real shame.

“We picked up a bad injury too. (Defender) Joe Cook has ligament damage to his foot/ankle. He played on with it for an hour, which shows the measure of the man, but it seized up with about 20 minutes to go and we had to take him off.

“We were already without Josh Harfield and Liam Gilbert, both from bad tackles on Wednesday, and Jamie Barron was still carrying a knee injury, but he was pressed into action, and I played in place of Josh.”

All seemed to be going to plan midway through the second half when Oli Bailey, wriggling free of his marker, laid the ball off for Barron to fire across the keeper from 18 yards.

City dominated possession and should have had more, but their slender lead was wiped out when goalkeeper Ryan Pryce brought down a player as he knocked the ball past him and Simon Gilbert found the top corner from the spot.

The Mangos had Ed Weeks sent off in the dying moments.

“We didn’t give them a sniff all day until one breakaway when we conceded a penalty,” rued Davis.

“It’s disappointing, but it’s not doom and gloom. We’ve been outstanding at home and we’ve picked up two points from two away games in four days.

“We’ve got a week off now, thankfully, and will be able to train properly for the first time in ages.

“We’ve dropped to fifth, but it’s still ever so tight up there, and we’ve got tough tests to come now against Didcot (home, February 10) and Bristol Manor Farm (away, February 17).

*SALISBURY atoned for the previous week’s shock defeat by Barnstaple with a 6-2 home slaying of in-form Yate Town in the Evo-Stik South West.

Stuart Green had a fifth-minute penalty saved for the Whites following a handball offence, but Steve Claridge’s men powered 3-0 up by the break courtesy of Tom Whelan, Aaron Dawson and Kane O’Keefe, Another Yate handball led to a second Salisbury penalty on 51 minutes and this time Whelan tucked it away.

Green’s exquisite chip made it 5-0 – his 21st goal of the season – and, after the visitors had come back into the game through Steve Davis and Ross Langworthy, O’Keefe made it 6-2 with a towering heard from Whelan’s cross.

It was quite a result against a Yate side who had banked 19 points from a seven-match unbeaten run.