BASINGSTOKE Town produced their best performance for several weeks but were unable to find the finishing touch to beat Vanarama Conference South promotion rivals Havant and Waterlooville.

The hosts had by far the better chances in a predictably cagey game at The Soccer AM on Saturday afternoon, with Louie Soares hitting the post and Chris Flood, Lloyd Macklin and Jay Gasson all failing to make the most of good opportunities.

However, there were plenty of positives for Town to take from a game that may turn out to be something of a dress rehearsal for the play-offs in a couple of weeks.

They looked dangerous going forward, creating plenty of opportunities, while Jamie Brown was outstanding in the centre of the park. The hosts also defended strongly, limiting the visitors to shots from long range.

On another day, they would have won by two or three goals, but as it was they had to settle for a point. It made no difference in the title race, with Bromley being crowned champions thanks to a 3-0 win over Weston-super-Mare, but means that Town go into the final day of the season with a chance of finishing second, third, fourth or fifth.

Town had to make three changes to the side that had been beaten at Sutton a week earlier. Liam Enver-Marum missed out through suspension, while Simon Dunn rolled an ankle in training during the week and James Harper went down ill on the morning of the game.

Brown, Manny Williams and Macklin came into the side, while there was a place on the bench for Julian Owusu as Shaun McAuley sat out the first match of his three-game ban.

Former Basingstoke strikers Ben Wright and Bradley Bubb didn’t start on their return to the club, being named on the Havant bench.

Town had strong claims for a penalty turned down in just the fourth minute. Macklin raced onto a loose pass and appeared to be bundled over by Dan Strugnell just inside the area, but referee Adrian Quelch ruled that it wasn’t a foul. It could have been immaterial as the loose ball dropped to Flood, but his effort was blocked.

The first clear chance of the match fell to Gasson on 14 minutes. Havant goalkeeper Ryan Young dropped Tom Bird’s free-kick and the loose ball fell to the centre-back, who was no more than 10 yards from goal, but he blasted way over the crossbar.

Brown had a shot from distance deflected over as the hosts continued to press, while Flood failed to make the most of a guilt-edged chance soon after. Another mistake in the Havant defence left him with just Young to beat, but he put the ball wide of the near post.

Young did well to block from Macklin when the striker raced onto a header back that got caught up in the wind, but it was Havant who ended the half in the ascendancy.

Brown will have been relieved to see the ball hit the top of the Town crossbar rather than nestle in the net after getting his head to a free-kick, while Shamir Mullings was to make the most of a fortunate ricochet, failing to pick out a team-mate. The final chance fell to Ben Swallow, but his deflected effort was comfortably saved by Stuart Moore.

Basingstoke were inches away from taking the lead on 50 minutes. Flood showed good feet to play Soares in, but the midfielder’s effort from just inside the area came back off the post.

Nathan Smart tested Young from distance and Williams fired wide of the near post as Town continued to press, while two opportunities fell to Macklin just after the hour.

The striker used his pace to latch on to Gasson’s pass down the left wing but was unable to get around the onrushing Young, while a better chance fell to the former Swindon man from Rob Dickie’s pass, but his shot flashed wide of the far post.

Swallow was unable to beat Moore at his near post with a weak effort at the end of a good Havant move, but Macklin soon had another opportunity, hooking the ball wide from Smart’s cross.

Havant had the better opportunities in the closing stages, but they were unable to really trouble Moore. Nic Ciardini and Harry Cornick both had decent efforts from the edge of the area, while David Ray was on hand to clear another Ciardini shot from inside his own six-yard box in the final minute.

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

PLAYER RATINGS

Stuart Moore – 7 (out of 10)

Not really stretched, but his handling was good and he did well to cope with a couple of tricky back-passes.

Nathan Smart – 8

Caused plenty of problems marauding down the right wing.

Tom Bird – 7

Got forward well and put some good crosses into the area.

Rob Dickie – 8

A composed performance. Solid at the back and made some strong runs forward.

Jay Gasson – 6

Still looks a little rusty. Gave the ball away in bad areas, didn’t help Moore with some awkward passes and failed to make the most of a clear-cut chance in front of goal.

David Ray – 8

Another solid performance. Never really troubled by the much larger Shamir Mullings.

Louie Soares – 8

Neat and tidy in possession, taking up some good positions between the Havant defence and midfield. Unlucky not to get on the scoresheet.

Jamie Brown – 9 (Gazette Star Man)

The best player on the pitch by some distance. Had the dangerous Scott Donnelly in his back pocket throughout the match, stopped Havant getting at the back three and rarely gave the ball away.

Lloyd Macklin – 7

Got into good positions and caused problems with his pace. Unlucky not to be awarded a penalty, but couldn’t find the finishing touch.

Chris Flood – 7

Worked hard and looked dangerous but unable to take the one big chance that fell his way.

Manny Williams – 7

Asked to play in a deeper position. Had a quiet game, but kept Town ticking over in possession.

SUBSTITUTES

Nicholas Bignall (for Macklin 82min) – 6

No real chance to have an impact on the game.

Andrew Jenkinson (for Williams 89min) – 6

A late substitute, his one major contribution was a shot from distance that flew well over.

Subs (not used): Rice, Case, Owusu

Havant and Waterlooville: Young, Strugnell, Cummings, Awford (sub Wright 84min), Huggins, Dutton, Swallow (sub Ciardini 63min), Donnelly, Mullings (sub Hooper 63min), Cornick, Carmichael

Subs (not used): Woodford, Bubb

Attendance: 803

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