Didcot Town stretched their unbeaten run to eight games, but they had to rely on a last-minute goal from Joel Meade to earn them a draw with Cinderford at the npower Loop Meadow.

Neither side played well in Saturday’s frustrating Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West clash, in which the Railwaymen missed a penalty.

From the best move of the first half, involving Jack Berna -sconi and Mark Janes, Morgan Williams saw his goalbound shot blocked.

If Elliott Osborne-Ricketts was central to Didcot’s best moments, Ashley Malcolm was at the heart of Cinderford’s and it was his shot that brought the first save from keeper Marcos Belloli-Pereira.

A slip from Belloli-Pereira then gifted giant Cinderford striker Lewis Sommers a great chance, but he volleyed over in the 35th minute.

The visitors did score, however from another corner ten minutes later. Belloli-Pereira punched clear for a corner, from which the unmarked Malcolm headed home from eight yards.

Boss Gary Elkins’s side should have equalised in the 65th minute when Williams’s run into the box was stopped illegally by Kieran Thomas, giving Osborne-Ricketts a chance from the penalty spot.

His strike was decent enough, but Cinderford keeper Alex Harris pulled off a fine save low to his left.

Cinderford should have put the game to bed after the let-off. The impressive Dale Evans thumped a 25-yard free-kick against a post midway through the second half.

Lee Smith then volleyed high and wide before Sam Elkins had to clear a Matt Barnes effort off the line.

But after 89 largely forgettable minutes, the home side burst into life.

A brilliant pass from Os-borne-Ricketts found Meade, who finished with some style to equalise from the edge of the box.

Less than a minute later, Didcot should have stolen the victory. Janes burst clear into the penalty area, but rather than shooting from 12 yards, he opted to lay the ball into Williams, who had his effort blocked.

Didcot Tn: Belloli-Pereira, Elkins, Stanley, Osborne-Ricketts, Carnell, Allaway, Berna-sconi (Tappin 71), Heapy, M Janes, Meade, M Williams. Subs not used: T Janes, McKirnan, Griffiths.

Attendance 137.