Prestatyn 1 Neath 1

ANY chance Neath had of finishing the initial stage of the season in third spot vanished in the Prestatyn mud where they had to settle for a draw.

It was an unconvincing performance by the Eagles coming on the back of their impressive festive double over Llanelli, who will themselves now enter the group stage in third spot.

In the first half the visitors huffed and puffed but lacked the cutting edge as the hosts, on the back of two five-goal thrashings by champions Bangor City, fought to prevent being overrun in midfield.

Nevertheless, Kristian O'Leary's side had more than enough chances to have buried the game but Chris Jones was wasteful and Lee Trundle unlucky.

Adie Harris was also unlucky with a first-half header that was cleared off the line.

Jones had several chances when well placed, especially in the second half, when he was brilliantly set up by Trundle, but he wildly ballooned over the bar.

Trundle twice saw his efforts hit the woodwork, the first attempt hitting the top of the bar and the second ended with home player- manager Neil Gibson heading against his own bar.

It looked as if O'Leary was going to suffer the first defeat of his six-match reign when Darren Hughes found space from Neath's strangely statuesque defenders.

A lovely ball over the top was superbly controlled by Hughes who then swept the ball past a helpless Lee Kendall, making his second bow for the club after departing following the cash crisis. It was Neath's first goal conceded since O'Leary took charge.

The introduction of striker Toby Jones with ten minutes remaining — his 14th substitute appearance of the campaign — brought immediate reward and his first goal for the club.

Jack Lewis easily rounded Alec Williams and blasted a low cross into the six-yard box and Jones was alert to the opportunity to save his side a point.

O'Leary, while pleased with the point, will probably feel this was another match where his side had to settle for a point when there were definitely three on offer.

The disappointment may well spur the former Swansea City midfielder back into action.

Questioned as to whether he had hung up his boots, O'Leary replied: "I do plan to play at some time but the lads have been doing so well recently.

"We have a decent squad and the lads are enjoying it."

This display, reminiscent of the run that produced a string of recent drawn matches, may well be the trigger for O'Leary to reintroduce his experience and influence back onto the park for the home match with Port Talbot on Thursday night