A wonderfully sunny day with little or no wind was the unusual setting at Shedocksley this afternoon. That said we had to switch parks due to surface water lying on the original. We had the usual barrage of call offs with changes enforced for todays league encounter against Deva Dons. Halli stalwart Craig Robertson was called upon as cover and he started on the bench in what was his 550th appearance for the club. We lined up with Sct Marlow in goal, Mutch, G.Fulton, Hamilton and Duncan in defence. Wallace was switched wide right alongside R.Fulton, M.Michie and Jacques. Upfront were Webster and West. Marlow joined Robertson in reserve. Michie did well early on to rise and power a header clear. In 15 Wallace chased back quickly to clear for a throw in then in 18 we carved out a really clear cut scoring opportunity. Webster collected on the edge of the box and went wide, he held it up then squared to the unmarked Jacques. He had only the keeper to beat but got it all wrong and fresh aired his attempt. West raced wide in 20 to block a defenders clearance then Michie neatly sent a right footer down the channel for Jacques who saw his cross beaten out. In 25 Hamilton got up to meet a corner kick but headed wide then in 28 a lovely ball from Duncan had Jacques off in pursuit, the ball just rolling out for a goal kick. With 30 mins played Sct Marlow made a smart save to keep the score level before R.Fulton blasted over the bar after the ball fell nicely into his path at the other end. Michie made a great tackle in midfield and moments later was well placed to tidy up at the back post. Deva were shouting for a penalty when the ball was driven against Hamiltons hand. The ref was well placed to wave away the appeal. (H.T.0-0). Halli continued to search for the opener but the home side struck first to grab the lead in 56 mins. Our defence was caught flat footed and a square ball was knocked home. On the hour Robertson took over from Wallace, with West moved back to wide right midfield and Robertson charged with the task of getting the equaliser. Deva had taken heart from their goal and for a period controlled the game with the number 8 pulling the strings. In 68 it was Hallis turn to claim for a spot kick but again the ref was well placed and waved play on. In 70 Robertson took a short pass from Webster but got little on his shot which the keeper collected. We levelled the game in 76 when R.Fulton met a Webster corner kick and headed home despite the efforts of a defender on the line. Webster had the scent of goal when we were awarded a free kick 25 yards out but he blazed his effort over the top. Deva reclaimed the lead in 80 after Duncan who had initially done well to break up an attack, made the wrong decision and passed inside only to give away possession. The ball was fired forward and Sct Marlow was beaten from a tight angle. Halli refused to surrender and we were level soon after when Robertson brilliantly took a rifled pass out of the air and chipped in for R.Fulton to clip the ball over the keeper with the aid of a deflection. Robertson then almost grabbed the lead turning well in the box to get a shot away, however the keeper was in the right place. With Halli now gunning forward the Deva keeper, Robert Ferguson, produced a wonder double save to ensure a share of the spoils. Robertson squared for Jacques who melted an effort goalwards. The keeper got down to block then somehow got composed enough to marvellously turn an even better hit from Jacques off the rebound over the crossbar. With minutes left on the clock Marlow replaced a limping West as Halli continued to search out the elusive winning goal (F.T.2-2). Not a bad result but a bad outcome given that we slip 2 places in the table following the loss of 2 points. Again great credit to Mark Michie who really turned back the years in the first half and picks up Hallitopman this afternoon. Craig Robertson also deserves praise for the part played in the equaliser and with luck his efforts could have led to 3 points. It was not to be and given that we are currently missing in essence an entire team, 2 games in a row unbeaten is a reasonable return. We must however aim for 3 points in all our future games as even this early it appears everyone else is chasing the remaining two promotion slots with Stoneywood looking like title favourites unless they suffer a catastrophe in the shape of a form slump or injury onslaught like ours !