Saturday football Arlesey Town s hopes of making the play-offs are fading as it is now five matches without a league victory. Saturday s 1-1 draw at Harlow means the Blues have recorded only one victory in 2006. They appear to be leaving themselves too mu

Saturday football

Arlesey Town's hopes of making the play-offs are fading as it is now five matches without a league victory.

Saturday's 1-1 draw at Harlow means the Blues have recorded only one victory in 2006.

They appear to be leaving themselves too much to do as they are now in 10th position and face a difficult end-of-season run in.

For the third time in recent fixtures, they took the lead only to finish without three points.

Their strengths and deficiencies were all too apparent in front of a sparse crowd of 85 in what must be one of the less atmospheric stadiums in non-league senior football.

It could be the last time the Blues will visit Hammerskold Road, as they should be on their new ground at Burrows Farm next season.

For the Blues, Lee Summerscales made his debut following his signing from Cambridge City and Mark Njotsa returned after suspension.

Arlesey almost went behind in the first minute when Nick Bussey sliced a clearance that fell invitingly for Sammy Winston whose shot drifted past the post.

The remainder of the half saw the play confined to midfield until the 35th minute. Arlesey won a corner that was taken by Stuart Beevor only to beat everyone and end up in the net.

Bussey pushed a shot over the bar but Arlesey were looking threatening down the left from Paul Bloss who repeatedly was making good runs.

For the second half Arlesey were forced to defend against the wind, although they missed a glorious chance in the 49th minute when Danny Bowgett headed over a Dave Hatchett cross.

Bussey bravely blocked a shot in a goalmouth scramble before Bloss again caused confusion. His second attempt at a cross flashed across the goal and out of play at the far post.

Kaan Fehmi then played Ozie Foster into the area and his shot was pushed round the post by the home keeper.

Harlow equalised in the 68th minute when a free-kick was turned into the net from close range by Winston.

Darran Hay replaced Bowgett and nearly restored Arlesey's lead when he fired over from another Bloss corner and then hit the foot of the post after he gained room for a shot when he appeared to be crowded out.

Winston almost had the last word for the Hawkes when he nearly turned home an identical free-kick to his equaliser.

Blues: Bussey, Hatchett, Summerscales, Fehmi, Njosta, Cox, Beevor, Gregson, Bowgett (Hay), Foster, Bloss.

Stotfold produced possibly their worst performance of the season in losing 3-1 at home to Desborough.

Dean McElroy and Jay Thomas missed early shooting opportunities for Jim Benton's depleted side.

Desborough went ahead on 35 minutes when a cross from the left was headed back across goal by Jamie O'Neill. It was then headed towards his own goal by Ryan Frater and eventually nodded in by Chris Logan.

It became 2-0 a minute before the break as a ball over the top was collected by Brian Hardie and he lobbed Nigel Blower.

Stotfold reduced the deficit two minutes into the new half as John De Souza passed to Thomas who dinked the ball up and volleyed in from close range.

They could not build on this and their only other opportunity was when McElroy headed wide from Dean Chapman's cross.

Desborough secured the points on 78 minutes when Chapman lost out to O'Neill on the right. His run into the box was halted by Chapman running back and the resulting penalty was well struck home by Hardie.

Rokermen: N Blower, Thomas (Brown 61), Chapman, Frater, Gonzague, Beckett, Benton, De Souza, McElroy, Thomas, Hussain (S Blower 71).

Langford won for the second successive match - 3-2 at Broxbourne Borough - to ease their relegation fears.

The hosts scored the first and last goals of the afternoon but strikes from Wayne Goldsmith, Marc Holmes and Lee Wilson proved enough.

Their reserves were beaten 6-3 at AFC Kempston Town in the semi-final of the Beds Intermediate Cup.

Athletic Arlesey went down 6-3 at home to Cockfosters.

They were in the game for the first hour as Lee Shambrook's goal was built on by a double from Wayne Blows. But the visitors ran away with it in the closing stages.