BASINGSTOKE Town led twice but were unable to claim their first win of the season during a pulsating game at Marsh Lane last night.

The visitors could have been out of sight in the opening 20 minutes but while they took a deserved lead through Lloyd Macklin, Oxford City soon levelled.

The hosts then enjoyed their best spell of the game, but they were unable to find a second goal before the break and it was Basingstoke who grabbed the lead with just over 20 minutes left, Louie Soares scoring direct from a free-kick.

However, the lead lasted just five minutes as James Harper committed a foul in the area and former Town striker Bradley Bubb fired home from the penalty spot to earn his side a point.

The Marsh Lane pitch was far from conducive to good football, but both sides adapted well, playing a more direct game to combat the conditions.

The result was an end-to-end encounter that ebbed and flowed throughout, with plenty of goalmouth action to keep any watching neutrals entertained.

Town made three changes to the side that had drawn at home to Bishop's Stortford three days earlier, with Will Salmon, Robbie Rice and Macklin all making their first starts of the season in place of Nathan Smart, Jay Gasson and Manny Williams.

They could and probably should have gone ahead inside the first minute. Shaun McAuley's ball over the top sent Liam Enver-Marum through, but he saw his low shot come back off the post, with Chris Flood firing the rebound wide from the edge of the area.

Enver-Marum then fired a similar opportunity wide, while McAuley almost caught home goalkeeper Laurie Walker out with a cross from the left as Town began the game with great intensity.

Bubb was fortunate to escape with just a warning after a poor challenge on Tom Bird and Oxford got into a couple of good positions, but Town took a deserved lead on 20 minutes.

Again Enver-Marum got free down the right channel and his cross gave Macklin the simple task of heading home from close range to put Basingstoke ahead in a match for the first time this season.

The same player nearly doubled the advantage soon after, taking advantage of some hesitation in the Oxford defence to power in a low shot that Walker did well to save.

Enver-Marum then wasted his third clear chance of the opening 25 minutes, denied by Walker when put through again.

At that point, Town could conceivably have been three or four goals ahead, but Oxford managed to get themselves back into the game.

Reece Fleet shot tamely at Aaron Howe when left unmarked on the penalty spot, but the hosts did level just after the half-hour, Adrian Santiago slotting home from close range after Town failed to clear a corner and deal with a low ball into the box.

Flood headed too close to Walker from Macklin's cross as Basingstoke made a rare foray forward, but Oxford were very much on top for the remainder of the half.

Darren Pond planted a free-header wide, while both Jose Lapoujade and Kynan Isaac forced Howe into smart saves, but the teams went in level at the break.

The tempo of the game dropped slightly in the early stages of the second half, but Oxford continued to create openings, with Bubb's effort deflected wide, Isaac flashing a shot across the face of goal and Julen Lafuente forcing Howe into a decent stop at his near post.

However, it was Basingstoke who grabbed the lead for a second time on 67 minutes. Macklin won a cheap free-kick on the left wing and with Walker expecting a cross into the area, leaving half of the goal unguarded, Soares fired a cleverly-disguised shot into the net at the near post.

Again Town had a chance to extend their lead, but Flood was unable to direct his header on target from Soares' corner, and Oxford grabbed an almost immediate equaliser.

Harper and Isaac both competed for a bouncing ball on the right side of the Town area. The Oxford striker got there first and was caught by the former Reading midfielder, with referee Christopher O'Donnell pointing to the penalty spot.

Bubb sent Howe the wrong way to level the game for a second time, but the Basingstoke goalkeeper's work was far from done as both sides looked for a winning goal.

Howe made the save of the match to deny substitute Declan Benjamin, diving full-length to keep out his close range header.

At the other end, Walker had to tip over the crossbar to prevent an own-goal, while Flood fired over from the edge of the area.

The final chance fell to Bubb, but he was unable to keep his header down after good play from Benjamin and Isaac, with both sides forced to settle for a point.

Click here to watch a post-match interview with Basingstoke Town manager Jason Bristow

PLAYER RATINGS

Aaron Howe - 8 (out of 10)
Made a string of good stops, with his late save from Benjamin especially impressive.

Will Salmon - 6
Oxford got plenty of joy down their left, but Salmon was offered little protection as Isaac and left-back Lapoujade were allowed to double up on him.

Tom Bird - 7
Another solid game from the left-back, who provided his usual threat going forward.

James Harper - 6
Worked extremely hard putting out fires across the pitch but gave away the penalty for Oxford's second equaliser.

Robbie Rice - 8 - Gazette Star Man
In the team because Jay Gasson had car problems and took his chance with both hands, making a string of fine challenges and blocks to give Bristow something to think about.

David Ray - 8
Like his central defensive partner, he was left exposed at times, but more than stood up to the challenge, making some vital blocks and interceptions.

Louie Soares - 7
Struggled on a pitch that was far from conducive to his game but produced an excellent free-kick to make it 2-1.

Shaun McAuley - 6
Another Town midfielder who found the pitch and nature of the game hard going. Never really able to get into it.

Liam Enver-Marum - 6
You get the feeling that once he gets a goal, more will follow. Making good runs and getting into good positions but his finishing let him down. Didn't always do enough to track attacking full-backs but created the opening goal.

Chris Flood - 6
Showed glimpses of his quality, but the game seemed to pass him by. Doesn't look suited to playing at the point of the diamond.

Lloyd Macklin - 7
Fairly quiet, but tracked back well, popped up to open the scoring and unfortunate not to get a second soon after.

SUBSTITUTES

Simon Dunn (for McAuley 64min) - 6
Added some energy to the midfield, but unable to really get a grip on the game.

Harrison Gilkes (for Macklin 77 min) - 6
Few chances to show what he is capable of on a difficult pitch.

Subs (not used): Jay Gasson, Nathan Smart, Manny Williams

Oxford City: Laurie Walker, Luke Coulson, Jose Lapoujade, Ander Del Alamo, John Arzamendi, Adrian Santiago, Reece Fleet (sub Jamal Lawrence 86min), Darren Pond, Bradley Bubb, Julen Lafuente (sub Declan Benjamin 72min), Kynan Isaac

Subs (not used): Lee Henderson, Carlos Picarre Forner, Paul Stonehouse

Attendance: 255

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