MANORBIER 1
PEMBROKE BORO 1
The team was broadly the same as that which had produced such a comprehensive display against Hubberston, with Gavin Evans coming in for Paul Maytum at centre back and Josh Hawkes replacing a flu-riddled Billy Christopher on the left.
For the second week in a row, the pitch left a little to be desired.
The overnight rain had failed to soften up what was another bobbly surface, which when combined with the not inconsiderable slope at Boro's home ground, wasn't conducive to good football.
The first half proved to be a tight battle, with neither side managing to build a pattern of play as the ball pinged around off shins, knees, elbows, heads, and there was scant evidence of the crisp triangles that Manorbier had built the week before.
Nevertheless, Manorbier were fighting every bit as hard as Pembroke Boro, but were unable to capitalise on the few openings that were created as the uneven pitch was making the seemingly round football behave like a rugby ball, and leaving the strikers on both sides red-faced.
It was perhaps fitting that a game such as this should be decided by two free-kicks.
Manorbier were the first to strike. Austyn John, whose delivery from a dead ball is a blend of Roberto Carlos, David Beckham and Beaker from the muppets, curled a rapid cross into the Boro box - which broke loose and Luke Askew slotted in the second phase ball from six yards out.
Not pretty, not stylish (and that was just Austyn's new haircut), but an effective way of getting the ball into the onion bag, as any Stoke fan would testify.
Manorbier felt that they would go on to impose themselves on the game, but Boro battled hard and refused to give in.
Chances were exchanged at both ends, but after Gavin Evans got a bit too close and personal with one of the Boro attackers, a free-kick was awarded to the home side in a dangerous position.
The cross came in, Manorbier were at sixes and sevens and eights, and one of the smallest guys on the pitch looped an unchallenged header over Mike Brown.
There was a late flurry of chances for Manorbier after the ever-dynamic Neil Lane went up front, Boro hit the bar and missed a near-open goal, but neither side really deserved all three points and a draw was probably a fair result.
The 'Bier are thus tantalisingly close to guaranteeing survival in the old third division, and a home game against Pennar Robins on Manorbier's Wembley-like turf on Saturday should prove decisive.