Pershore hosted Royal Wootton Bassett Town at the That Carpet Place Community Stadium, looking to get back to winning ways after last week’s narrow defeat to Westfields.

It was the visitors who started brightest and nearly took the lead inside the opening minutes, as Ben Cleary rounded Joe Cunneen, only for Elliott Sumnall to recover brilliantly and clear off the line.

Pershore’s first effort came around the fifteen-minute mark when Reece Day found space on the edge of the area, but his low drive was comfortably gathered by the visiting keeper.

The visitors went ahead on twenty minutes — a ball over the top found Cleary, who got the better of Cal Clayton before slotting past Cunneen.

Moments later, Clayton went down awkwardly after turning his ankle while controlling a long ball from the Bassett defence. In clear discomfort, he was forced off, with Jack Neal coming on in his place.

On the half-hour, Pershore were awarded a free kick after a reckless challenge on Day. The Bassett defender, already booked, somehow avoided a second yellow. From the resulting delivery, Sumnall’s header beat the keeper but struck the upright before rebounding kindly into his arms.

A minute later, on the counter, Macca King went close — fizzing an effort just past the post from the edge of the box as Town pressed for an equaliser.

Right on the stroke of half-time, Yuri Quintas slipped a neat through ball into Jack Griffiths-Perry, but the winger was denied by the onrushing keeper, who timed his tackle perfectly to snuff out the chance.

The second half brought half-chances for both sides without any clear openings. Archie Thurston’s strike from the edge of the box drew a fine diving save, while Pershore continued to dominate territory without carving out many chances, as Bassett looked dangerous on the counter.

Late in the game, as Bassett prepared to take a throw deep in Pershore’s half, Town rolled the dice — finishing with three wingers and two strikers in search of an equaliser. Within 30 seconds, they were level. A Jack Neal clearance found Joel Hill on halfway, the substitute turning his man and driving to the edge of the area before slipping in Cal Harper, who fired home first time from 15 yards — his first touch after coming on.

Both sides pushed for a winner in the final minutes, but neither could find a breakthrough, leaving them to share the points in an entertaining draw.