HARTLEY Wintney will return to the top of the Southern League Premier Division, if they win at Harrow on Saturday and leaders Weymouth fail to do so against Wimborne.

Last Saturday, the Row and Merthyr Town played out a score draw in a very scrappy match at the Memorial Ground in Hartley.

However the South Wales side will feel that they should have gone home with maximum points having dominated for a huge portion of the match.

In a tepid first half the Martyrs had the bulk of the play and produced what little quality that was on show.

The visitors took the lead on 10 minutes when a free kick on the left Kerry Morgan found its way through a few deflections to Tom Meechan who scored at the back post.

The Row’s first opportunity arrived on 21 minutes. A free-kick to the left of the area was driven by Tyron Smith and the effort went just past the post.

Just before the hour mark, the Martyrs should have increased their lead when good play by Meechan gave Ashley Evans an open goal. However the visitors skipper shot over.

Hartley then edged back into the match and on 90 minutes the Row equalised. A good flick from Mikey Campbell set Nic Ciardini free in the box, before he was upended by a Martyrs defender. Smith kept his nerve and blasted the ball into the net for a wholly undeserved equaliser.

On Tuesday night, the Row are in Hampshire Senior Cup action at Winchester City. Hartley's trip to the Camrose on October 16 has been postponed, as they are now in League Cup action away at Thatcham.