WIMBORNE Town and Walton Casuals played out a goalless draw at New Cuthbury in Southern League Premier South, writes James Langdon.

The Magpies were coming into the game hoping to stop the influx of goals conceded, having shipped 12 in their past two games.

Walton on the other hand were in the hunt for a late play-off push, laying 10th in the table coming into the clash at New Cuthbury.

The hosts started brightly, within the opening few minutes Jack Torniainen blasted an effort just wide following smart work from Curtis Young and Dan Bartlett down the right flank.

Wimborne were however forced into an early substitution as striker Dan Cann had to be replaced by Lewis Beale after going down with an injury midway through the first half.

After 30 minutes, a ball over the top found Thomas Bird, who snuck in behind the Wimborne defence, leaving the full back one-on-one with home keeper Lewis Gunstone-Gray, who made a strong stop.

Down the other end, Wimborne’s Bartlett cut in from the left and fizzed a shot which troubled Jacob Adams in the Casuals’ net, the stopper did well to gather on the second attempt.

The chance of the half came for Walton’s Wilson Carvalho, as he was sent through one-on-one in acres of space, bearing down on the Wimborne goal but his shot trickled just wide of the post.

On 50 minutes, Gunstone-Gray pulled off a fantastic save to deny John Gilbert.

With 20 minutes left Bartlett spotted the visiting keeper was off his line and decided to have a speculative shot from inside his own half which left Adams scrambling back to his own goal and plucking the ball from under the crossbar.

The visitors had the ball in the back of the net following good play down the left flank, the cross finding substitute Ansu Janneh who tapped in – only for the linesman to raise his flag with the striker straying offside.

In the final minute of the game, Walton had a huge claim for a penalty waved away by the referee.

Following a soft header back to Gunstone-Gray by Mark Jamison, the Casuals forward got to the ball before the hosts keeper and stumbling to the ground – nothing was given as the game ended goalless.