PEWSEY Vale picked up their first league point since late September with a hard earned draw in an eventful game on Saturday.

Ninth-placed Tuffley proved tricky opposition for Steve Wootton's side but they finished with a share of the spoils following a controversial offside goal and two debatable penalty appeals.

The first came in the ninth minute when Craig Wall was brought down. Minutes later Wall was again allegedly fouled in the box and this too was waved away by the official.

Pewsey went through a spell of conceding possession cheaply and allowed Tuffley to a foothold in the match.

With only Pewsey goalkeeper Lee Wilson to beat Cresswell pushed the ball forward past the goalkeeper to Jonathon Meadows who tapped in at the near post.

Again Pewsey looked to the officials this time for offside but their appeals were in vain and the goal stood.

However, it was not long before Pewsey hit back to level matters.

On 34 minutes Andy Brien played a great ball into the box and Mark Bennett headed a well-deserved equaliser.

The second half continued as the first with both sides working hard for possession. On 57 minutes Bennett delivered a great ball through to Wall who was denied by the Tuffley goalkeeper Scott Rose.

Pewsey continued to pressurise the home defence and Wall was again denied by Rose in the 72nd minute.

A bad tackle by Leone Cornwall on Pewsey's Tom Ritchie resulted in a scuffle between both sets of players.

Midfielder Darren Waters was unlucky not to put Vale in front ten minutes from time when his header came back off the crossbar.

But at the other end Wilson made a great save at his near post to make sure of the point.

Pewsey manager Steve Wootton was pleased with a much-needed point.

"To be fair we played quite well. We had three penalty appeals and two of them were dead certs I felt. We had a lot more of the game and their goal for them to go 1-0 looked miles offside. There was no way the lad who scored could have been onside.

"Craig Wall was brought down twice but I think the referee was too far away and the linesman didn't help at all. Bearing in mind where they are in the league I would have been happy with point at the start."

On Saturday Pewsey have a real six-pointer at home to fellow strugglers Pegasus Juniors.

Wootton added: "They lost 4-0 at the weekend and they are a side we have got to beat especially as we are at home. To be honest anything other than a win will be a disaster for us."

Wootton has been boosted with the expected return of Barry Flippance from illness while Neil Riley and Neil Bartlett should also bolster the squad.

Matty Messenger played 15 minutes against Tuffley and should continue to step up his comeback from injury this weekend.

Wootton is set to lodge a seven-day-approach for Stratton Crossley midfielder Justin Long. He is also looking at signing another goalkeeper to provide number one Lee Wilson with some extra competition.