Edgware 1 Arlesey Town 0 The Blues could not convert their recent improvement in form into points against a side striving to remain in the play-off positions. Saturday s game was affected by the strong end-to-end wind and neither side managed to come to t

Edgware 1 Arlesey Town 0

The Blues could not convert their recent improvement in form into points against a side striving to remain in the play-off positions.

Saturday's game was affected by the strong end-to-end wind and neither side managed to come to terms with it.

The main action of the contest was reserved until the final exchanges.

A scoreless draw appeared certain until the 89th minute when keeper Jake Whincup failed to gather as the ball was being shepherded into his grasp and substitute Chakadoza turned the opportunity in.

The game then erupted as Morton delivered a late and high tackle on the returning Owen Beale.

When the scrum had been sorted out, the Arlesey player was shown the red card. But after consulting with his assistant, the decision was overturned and the home player warmed up the showers instead!

Throughout the game, the Arlesey defence had looked to be the decisive element with James Dillnutt and Ryan Oliva in outstanding form.

They were backed by colleagues who fought for every ball.

Against the wind after the break, Edgware launched a series of attacks that were more of the desperate than constructive nature.

In the 12th minute, Arlesey missed a glorious opportunity to open the scoring when Craig Reynolds delivered a free-kick from the left which the unmarked Oliva headed over.

Whincup did not have a shot to save until the 44th minute when he pushed over a Valenti corner.

His second flag kick caused a scramble inside the box that ended with Maharjan shooting over the bar.

Then, from another corner, a Hayden header was brilliantly blocked by Whincup on the line and cleared away by Oliva.

Edgware had clearly been made aware of their responsibilities during the interval but pushed forward with little or no effect.

Reynolds fired over a 25-yard free-kick and from more prompting from the Blues midfielder, Leon Gutzmore failed to make contact at the far post.

Lee Tekell replaced Ide Okojie in the 57th minute and the home side also began to ring the changes.

Maharjan missed the best home chance shooting wide after Wallace had made the dead-ball line.

The visitors' best chances were from dead-ball situations and another arrived in the 63rd minute.

Gutzmore was hauled down, but Reynolds continued his off-target afternoon when he again failed to find the target when cleverly set up by Beale.

Neither side looked capable of breaking the deadlock and the game appeared to be drifting to its scoreless conclusion.

With time running out, the final drama unfolded with Arlesey left to reflect that despite all their efforts a side remains vulnerable without a goal and so it proved.

Blues: Whincup, Waldron, Fowler, Oliva, Dillnutt, Beale, Okojie, Brown, Reynolds, Gutzmore, Young.

Subs: Nene, Beech, Tekell, Howard.