STEVE Hale was the Calne hero as he answered their goalkeeping distress call and made some good saves despite playing with a hernia problem.

Regular Darryl Simms was unavailable because of work commitments and reserve Julian Crouch was out with a broken arm suffered in training.

Kelvin Highmore's side looked to be heading for defeat following Larkhall's sucker punch goal midway through the second half.

But Hale kept them in the game before substitute Ben Highmore snaffled an equaliser to earn Calne their first point in three games.

"Until 11am we had centre-back Darren Smart down to play in goal and although we had every confidence in him it wasn't ideal," said Highmore.

"But we had Steve up our sleeve and he came through for us at the last minute. He was not fully fit but a half fit Steve coming into goal in the 11th hour was a boost. I'd like to thank him and him and the Hungerford manager Gary Ackling for letting us play him even though he was injured."

Calne looked rusty early on as they struggled to shake off a two-week rain induced lay-off.

But in a very lacklustre first half they created the first clear opening on 18 minutes when won possession on the right and crossed for Matt Pratley who glanced a header just wide.

Larkhall's only noteworthy effort of the half arrived on 44 minutes when youngster Jim Moon cut in from the right and forced goalkeeper Steve Hale to tip the ball over the bar.

Calne should have gone in front on the hour mark when James Lye and Glenn Armstrong combined on the left to set up Pratley. His shot was well saved by Brendan Dixon but fell to Ben Moore whose effort was deflected wide.

But Larkhall caught them cold in the 65th minute. A quick free-kick released Matt Townley down the left and he crossed for Luke Scott to head home.

Townley then set up Doug Keen two minutes later as Calne struggled to contain their hosts but Hale did well to hold Keen's strike.

It was the introduction of Ben Highmore for the injured Pratley that gave Calne some fresh impetus. On 70 minutes Lye broke and passed the ball over Larkhall's defence for Highmore toround the goalkeeper and slot in.

Larkhall nearly pinched the win when Keen contrived to head wide from another Townley cross.

The Calne boss was disappointed with his team in the first 45 minutes. "I thought they played well but we never really produced. We swapped a couple of players around and it seemed to work in the second half,'' he said.

"Larkhall scored a goal against the run of play and for the next five minutes we could have gone two or three down. But Highmoretook his goal well.

"We had chances to win it but we are happy with a draw because it is important we don't lose games."

Highmore is now looking forward to the visit of Corsham on Boxing Day.

"We go into that game as underdogs on Corsham's form," he said. "That is not mind games it's fact. We don't want to make any silly mistakes and concede early. We will keep patient, not panic and try and play at a good tempo."

Highmore hopes Pratley will recover from his knock and expects goalkeeper Simms to be available again.