Pembrokeshire Football League Division One MERLINS BRIDGE 0 GOODWICK UNITED 0

MERLINS Bridge dropped two valuable points at home in a scrappy battle with fellow contenders Goodwick at Haverford-west's Racecourse.

Chances were few and far between with both keepers having a quiet afternoon as the young Wizards' slick passing game failed to overcome their gritty visitors.

"The draw was a fair result in the end. I do think we shaded it overall but we were just lacking something up front," said Wizards boss Steve Thomas.

"We put in a good performance," said Goodwick's Sean O'Connor, "and we were unlucky not to win it, but in the end it was a good result."

Thomas' honest acknowledgement of his side's failings will have to be addressed if they are to keep up with the leading pack. For all their quality in the centre of the park, epitomised by dynamic skipper Nathan Thomas, the loss of Lee Hudgell to Haverfordwest County has left the Wizards short of pace where it matters.

The skipper was again at the heart of everything good about the Wizards' play, coupling intelligent passing and movement with real bite in the tackle. It remains a mystery why he has not taken the step up to a higher level.

Despite the Wizards' better technical display, the only real chance of the first period came on 23 minutes when Goodwick's Nigel Delaney rose at the back post to meet a sweet cross from Adam Raymond.

The big midfielder's did everything right with his downward header and was unlucky to see it parried clear. However the ball was only returned to Raymond who launched an almost identical cross which Delaney again met unchallenged.

This time his effort skidded across the face of goal and the second clearance proved more effective.

The stalemate continued until 15 minutes after the break when Wizard's frontman Nico Algieri pulled out to the right flank. Algieri whipped in an excellent deep cross from just inside the Goodwick half having spotted Thomas bursting through the middle.

The talismanic skipper should have done better, meeting the cross unchallenged, only to see his header fly over the bar.

The game ebbed back and forth without any clear-cut chances and only the introduction of Matthew Ellis brought the promise of any real excitement.

Again Chris Ormond found a team-mate enabling Jamie Gilderdale to turn his man and release Ellis to cut in from the flank.

The substitute burst into space behind the back four only to see his driven effort skid wide of Carl Woodhouse's far post and the best of the day's chances was gone.

The sides will come face to face again at Goodwick's Phoenix Park in three weeks as the cup-holding Wizards attempt to hang on to the trophy.