A MISSED penalty and two dubious decisions cost struggling Vale a much-needed win on Saturday.

Richard Pearson was the unfortunate taker before the home side took the lead with a penalty of their own.

In the second half Phil Penning equalised for Vale to steal a well-deserved point, but manager Steve Wootton believes they deserved three.

He said: "The lads did fantastic today. I might not have the best players in the league but they are giving me 110 per cent recently and are grinding out results."

He believed the decision that gave Witney their penalty was a dubious one and thought the referee was wrong to not send off last defender Tom Smith late in the game, as Adam Field was through on goal and was denied a great opportunity to win the game.

"Refs at this level are not consistent and the lad should have been sent off," Wootton added.

Pewsey jumped up a place in the table to fourth from bottom but are still in the last relegation spot. Wootton feels his players are now believing in themselves and have the confidence to survive in the premier league.

He feels the away draw has put his side in high spirits ahead of the crucial home fixture against Henley on Saturday.

The Vale dominated most of the first 30 minutes of the match and with better finishing should have taken an early lead on the sixth minute when Dave Marfleet sent Adam Field on a run but his shot on goal was saved by the keeper Kevin Alder.

One minute later a powerful free kick by Tom Ritchie from 25 yards was again held by Alder.

In the 17th minute Pewsey were awarded a penalty for handball following great teamwork between Kevin Ackrill and Fields, but Pearson pulled his spot kick wide.

Field was again unlucky in the 21st minute when he went past the defence only to see his shot smack against the post.

The second penalty of the match came to Witney for a foul inside the box and Lee Keyes made no mistake to give the home side the lead in the 32nd minute.

From the restart of the second half Vale pushed for the equaliser and it came in the 62nd minute when Ritchie unselfishly left the ball for Phil Penning to slot home.

Chances continued to fall for both sides during the half and Witney were lucky to finish the match with a full side when Field was brought down by Tom Smith and was through on goal.

Smith escaped with only a yellow card and the match drifted into the final minutes for the draw.