MARK Collier's Wiltshire side paid the penalty for a series of second half misses when they conceded a last gasp equaliser on Saturday.

The home team could point the finger at a mysteriously long period of injury time, but they should have put the match beyond doubt long before then.

If some slick attacking play had been matched by a little more composure in front of goal, Guernsey's leveller would have been merely a consolation.

The game at Melksham's Conigre Stadium was the Wiltshire senior side's first in the South West Counties Championship for two years, but it proved a frustrating return for the gold and blacks.

Afterwards Wiltshire manager Collier said: "The ref signalled three minutes of injury time, I asked the fourth official how many we had had and she said five. I don't know where the other two came from.

"I'm disappointed with the result because although we started poorly we picked it up well after the first 20 minutes.

"We created three good chances after half time, but poor finishing cost us badly.

"But there were still some positive signs considering this was the first time they had played together."

This lack of familiarity was evident early on when too many simple home passes failed to reach their intended targets. It was not a great surprise when the Channel Islanders took the lead on 16 minutes following a poor Wiltshire clearance.

Guernsey midfielder Joby Bourgaize reacted first to the ball firing past a helpless James Dom from 15 yards. Minutes later Dom spared his defenders' blushes with a superb save from Ryan Tippett.

This seemed to be a wake up call for Wiltshire as their passing game began to take shape. On 26 minutes Corsham Town wing back Dan Beck headed a cross into the path of Dean Foot who lashed home the equaliser.

Beck continued to find plenty of space down the right flank as Wiltshire used their 3-5-2 formation to better effect.

It was this same space that Foot exploited on 38 minutes when he raced clear and crossed for Westbury United's Tony Colbourne to round off a lightning counter attack.

Goalkeeper Jody Bisson was the visitors' star performer and his reflex save when one-on-one with Foot on 50 minutes set the scene for what was to follow. Colbourne twice went close when he might have expected to score.

His Westbury colleague Jerad O'Pray came closer still on 77 minutes when his shot struck the inside of the post after he had powered past his marker.

As the clock wound down Guernsey started to win more possession, but even then the Wiltshire defence, led by Corsham Town's Nigel Curtis, did not look unduly troubled. A precise through ball forced Curtis into a full-length block as Guernsey kept pressing deep into injury time.

But with both teams expecting the final whistle any second, a left wing corner saw Guernsey centre back Ben Duff pounce to fire home through a melee of players.