HARRISON Gilkes scored on his senior debut, but Basingstoke Town's long wait for a win goes on after they were held by fellow strugglers Wealdstone at The Camrose on Saturday.

There were plenty of positives for the hosts. Manager Jason Bristow's switch to a 4-2-3-1 system worked well, with Town far more incisive in an attacking sense, particularly during the first half, while the hosts also recovered well after going behind to an unfortunate deflected shot.

The point also takes them off the bottom of the National League South table, but the bad news is that they remain in the relegation zone, four points from safety with just five points from 11 winless games. Challenging for a play-off place already looks beyond them, with the gap to the top five up to 14 points.

AS IT HAPPENED - Basingstoke Town 1-1 Wealdstone >>
VIDEO REACTION - Basingstoke Town 1-1 Wealdstone >>
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS - Basingstoke Town 1-1 Wealdstone​ >>

With Simon Dunn out injured, Shaun McAuley was asked to play in an unfamiliar holding midfield role alongside James Harper, while winger Gilkes replaced striker Liam Enver-Marum, with Chris Flood operating as a lone frontman.

Having left the club a day earlier, Sam Akinde's place on the bench was taken by George Hallahan.

Wealdstone made a positive start and were inches away from taking the lead on four minutes. Former Reading midfielder Scott Davies picked the ball up in space 25 yards out and fired in a shot that beat Town goalkeeper Aaron Howe and clipped the crossbar on its way over.

Manny Williams and Louie Soares were unable to make the most of half-chances for Town and it was the visitors who took the lead with 13 minutes on the clock.

Neither McAuley nor Harper tracked Matthew Ball's run into the area and the midfielder was able to get a shot away, with the ball taking a wicked deflection off Jay Gasson to give Howe no chance of making the save.

The goal seemed to spark Town into life and they were on top for the rest of the half, playing at a high tempo, putting the visitors under pressure and testing the defence.

Good play from Gilkes and a fine pass from Williams had Flood in down the left channel, but Wealdstone goalkeeper Jonathan North kept him out with a smart stop.

Soares saw a shot blocked and Flood could only head Tom Bird's cross wide at the far posts as the hosts continued to press, but Wealdstone could have doubled the lead on the break.

Veteran striker Jefferson Louis found himself in on goal down the left channel, but his attempted finish with the outside of his right foot was appalling, flying well wide.

Town levelled on the half-hour mark. Williams was brought down in a dangerous area and while North made a good save to keep out Soares' free-kick, Town managed to recycle the ball and a poor clearance saw the ball drop to Flood on the edge of the area.

He fired in a first-time shot that was deflected into the path of Gilkes, who poked the ball home from the edge of the six-yard-box.

Louis almost restored the Wealdstone lead minutes later, a combination of Howe and Ray keeping him out at the near post, while Williams flashed a shot narrowly wide at the other end.

Basingstoke got a massive slice of luck on 36 minutes, when they really should have been reduced to 10 men.

Referee Adam Ricketts got in Harper's way as he looked to shoot and as he tried to apologise, the Town midfielder clearly pushed him in the chest. It was a clear red card offence, but the referee was lenient, not even booking the ex-Reading man.

Town had one last chance before the break, with Soares, who was a constant threat down the left throughout the half, crossing for Flood, but he could not get a difficult headed chance on target.

In general, refereeing decisions went Town's way throughout the half, angering the sizeable contingent of Wealdstone supporters. They made their feelings clear as the officials walked off at half-time, aggressively abusing Ricketts as he made his way to the changing rooms.

Basingstoke had been getting plenty of joy down the wings during the first half and Wealdstone moved to counter this after the break, asking their wingers to work harder and track back.

The result was a much more even second half. Williams fired into the side netting for Town early on, while Davies almost made the most of a poor clearance from Gasson, firing in a low shot that Howe did well to keep out.

More shaky defending gave Louis another chance, with Bird conceding possession and Nathan Smart failing to challenge the striker, but his finish was again poor, flying well wide of the near post.

Ray did well to deny substitute Connor Calcutt a big chance, but the visitors really should have taken the lead on 74 minutes.

Town were caught out by an incisive attack and Elliott Godfrey's cross found right-back Joshua McLeod-Urquhart totally unmarked six yards out.

Howe made an excellent save to keep out his header, before doing equally well to get up quickly and block the follow-up, keeping Town level.

The hosts had the final two half chances, but Enver-Marum was unable to properly test North with a shot from the edge of the area, while fellow substitute Lloyd Macklin was only able to guide a tricky volleyed chance onto the roof of the net.

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

PLAYER RATINGS

Aaron Howe - 8 (out of 10)
No chance with the deflected goal and earned his side a point with a tremendous double save late on.

Nathan Smart - 6
Exposed a couple of times defensively and found it hard to get forward.

Tom Bird - 7
Linked up well with Soares down the left side and put in some good deliveries.

James Harper - 6
Extremely fortunate not to be sent off for pushing the referee. Good in possession, not so hot without the ball.

Jay Gasson - 7
Generally solid, despite a couple of poor clearances. Unfortunate to deflect Ball's shot past Howe for the goal.

David Ray - 7
Made several important blocks and challenges.

Louie Soares - 7
A mixed afternoon. Caused no end of problems down the left, but as a right-footed player, his final ball was often found wanting. Nearly cost his side the game by failing to track the run of McLeod-Urquhart late on.

Shaun McAuley - 7
A decent display in an unfamiliar position, but guilty of over-playing at times.

Manny Williams - 7
Not really in the game as much as he would have liked, but showed glimpses of what he can do.

Chris Flood - 8 - Gazette Star Man
An excellent display as the lone frontman. Won his fair share of aerial balls, held the ball up well and provided a threat in behind the defence.

Harrison Gilkes - 8
Posed problems with his direct running down the right and in the right place at the right time to stab home a goal on his full debut.

SUBSTITUTES

Lloyd Macklin (for Gilkes 71min) - 6
No real impact on the game after he came on. Unable to take a very tough chance that came his way late on.

Liam Enver-Marum (for Williams 76min) - 6
Isolated in attack, he found it hard to get into the game.

Robbie Rice (for McAuley 89min) - 6
Shored the midfield up in the closing minutes.

Subs (not used): Will Salmon, George Hallahan

Wealdstone: Jonathan North, Joshua McLeod-Urquhart, Dale Binns (sub Michael Corcoran 79min), Wes Parker, Thomas Hamblin, Elliott Godfrey, Joshua Hutchinson (sub Connor Calcutt 57min), Matthew Ball, Jefferson Louis, Scott Davies, Bradley Hudson-Odoi (sub Matthew Lowe 45min)

Subs (not used): Shaun Lucian, Jonathan Wright

Attendance: 536