Billy Bricknell salvaged a point for Dover Athletic as they drew 1-1 at Basingstoke in Blue Square Bet South on Saturday.

Glen Southam replaced the injured Dean Rance in the Whites side and after Terry Dixon suffered an injury in the warm-up boss Nicky Forster promoted on-loan Dagenham & Redbridge winger Danny Green from the bench to the starting line-up.

Green had the first sight of goal but blasted wide seven minutes in and Southam fired over the bar from the edge of the box after a good move involving Bricknell and Purcell on 17 minutes.

Bricknell (pictured) lashed a shot well wide when he should have played Purcell through, and Tom Wynter blasted another chance off target in a first-half largely devoid of chances.

Stoke keeper Ashley Bayes parried a Jemal Johnson cross to Barry Cogan but he was closed down by a defender and the chance was gone.

The closest either side came before the break was a goalbound effort from the hosts which was superbly saved by Whites keeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz.

Five minutes after the interval Purcell shot wide while Southam blocked a shot on the edge of the box at the other end.

Green teed-up Johnson to fire over from 20 yards but the hosts broke the deadlock shortly before the hour when a cross from dangerman Sam Delano-Yorke was turned in at the back post by Shaun McAuley.

Almost immediately Bricknell drew a save from Bayes and Wynter nearly slid in an equaliser before Bayes tipped another Bricknell effort round the post.

The hosts were denied a killer-second by the offside flag and Whites made them pay when Bricknell headed home a delightful cross 11 minutes from time.

The hosts piled on the pressure in the closing stages, but Jaimez-Ruiz kept them out and Southam made a crucial block to ensure a share of the points.

Dover remain five points clear of Basingstoke in sixth, but moved within seven points of Chelmsford, who occupy the final play-off place, having played two games fewer than the Essex side.

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