GARY Funnell punished his old club Bashley with a dramatic late equaliser to keep Salisbury City in the Dr Martens Eastern Division promotion hunt - but only by the skin of their teeth.

The 20-year-old son of former Southampton striker Tony let fly with a left-foot belter in stoppage time to leave honours even between two sides who have each enjoyed spells at the top of the table only to be overtaken by late charges from Eastbourne, Dorchester and Stamford, writes WENDY GEE.

Although Bashley effectively shot their bolt with a 6-1 home hiding by leaders Eastbourne on Saturday, City went into the match with a game in hand over the clubs above them and determined to capitalise on any late slip-ups from the leading the pack.

But unfortunately for the white element of a bumper 823 Bank Holiday crowd, it was City themselves who clipped a hurdle, while the three frontrunners all won.

In a match packed with controversy, Bash defender Dave Wilson found his own net in the 21st minute trying to keep out a rasping right-wing cross from Eastleigh target Tyronne Bowers.

But two minutes later the Whites felt they had the lead wrongfully snatched away from them when Craig Anstey fired in the loose ball from a half-cleared Darren Robson corner.

Salisbury were convinced their goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer had been impeded - so much so that their man mountain defender Roger Emms was booked for arguing.

It was a caution that was to cost Whites dear in the 68th minute when Devizes referee Andrew Sainsbury reached for his notebook again after Emms had stuck out a boot to stop Graeme Gee taking a quick free-kick for Bashley.

Emms said afterwards: "The referee reckoned it was me who took Kev out for Bashley's equaliser which is why I was so angry. The other booking was fair enough, but other people had done the same thing, so where's the consistency?"

With Bashley's young marksman Richard Gillespie keeping the Whites' defence well occupied, Sawyer smothered bravely at the feet of ex-Salisbury hero Paul Sales in the 34th minute.

But it was his opposite number David Elm who produced the save of the match in the 53rd minute, tipping away Steve Strong's angled shot en route to the top corner and watching with relief as Bowers fizzed a follow-shot over.

Strong's running feud with Anstey had been threatening to boil over all afternoon and did so in the 63rd minute when the pair came forehead to forehead near the stand-side touchline.

Salisbury's fans were baying for Anstey's blood, convinced it was a headbutt, but referee Sainsbury waved protests away after consultation with his linesman.

Emms' subsequent dismissal raised the level of home fury and, as an added kick in the teeth, Salisbury found themselves behind on 81 minutes.

Sawyer reacted sharply again to keep out a well-struck Sales shot, but he was beaten by the lightning pace of 18-year-old Pompey trialist Gillespie, who pounced on the rebound.

At that stage the ten men looked beaten, but Funnell, who spent months in the Bashley wilderness last season, had other ideas.

Bash boss Barry Blankley said: "Gary was injured when I went back to Bashley midway through last season and, although I invited him back for pre-season training, he decided to go to Weymouth instead. I wish he'd stayed there!"

Joking apart, Blankley was proud of his Foresters. Mathematically the promotion dream is over, but he said: "We regrouped as a unit and put in a solid performance to make up for Saturday's disappointment. The lads knew they had let everyone down against Eastbourne.

"It was disappointing to give a late goal away but, full credit to Salisbury for pushing three up front. We didn't close Funnell down quickly enough, but it was a great shot and the lads commented on the way it moved in the air."

Salisbury could have won had shouts for a penalty four minutes into stoppage time come to fruition. Striker Adam Wallace went crashing between two defenders, but it was Bash skipper Robson who stayed down injured and Sainsbury again waved protests away.

Whites boss Nick Holmes said: "I don't want to go on about the referee, but it's fair to say that the major decisions went against us and probably cost us at the end of the day.

"I'd like to think it's swings and roundabouts and that some will go in our favour when it really counts, but we'll probably have to wait another 12 months for that."

Salisbury City: Kevin Sawyer, Scott Bartlett, Andy Cook, John Purches, Roger Emms, Matt Davies, Steve Strong (Darren Crook, 84), Gary Funnell, Adam Wallace, Leigh Phillips (Stuart Brown, 75) Tyronne Bowers. Subs (not used): Steve Witt, Josh Thomas, Andy Burt.

Bashley: David Elm, Dave Wilson, Gary Connolly, Darren Robson, Mark Jones, Aaron Cook, Graeme Gee, Craig Davis, Paul Sales, Richard Gillespie, Craig Anstey. Subs: (not used) Danny Gibbons, Paul Sturmey, Kevin James, Dave Wakefield, Fraser Quirke.