CHALFONT St Peter boss Danny Edwards admits that his team’s 1-1 draw with Beaconsfield on Monday night dealt a severe blow to the Rams’ fading promotion hopes.

Beaconsfield needed a win after dropping points in a 3-3 draw at Aylesbury on Saturday, but Terrell Lewis’ 49th minute equaliser meant it was honours even.

Edwards said: “I think they looked at Monday night as a game they had to win and you’d have to say that result hasn’t done Beaconsfield any favours.

“But they’ve had a long unbeaten run and are in and around the play-offs, any side up there is a decent side so to go there and get a point is pleasing.”

Saints actually top the local mini three-team league, having taken four points from Beaconsfeild as well as beating Marlow 4-1 recently.

Meanwhile, Marlow played in front of 673 fans on Saturday and less than ten per cent of that four days later, but manager Mark Bartley says that had nothing to do with their contrasting performances.

The Blues battled to a fine 1-1 draw at Kettering last weekend, when the manager blames a dubious penalty decision for costing his side all three points.

But just 60 people were there on Tuesday night when his team went down 4-2 at Leighton Town.

He said: “We played very well at Kettering but paid a heavy price. We picked up four injuries and two other players were unavailable on Tuesday.

“The games are coming thick and fast now and Tuesday came a few days too early for a few of them, but I hope to get one or two back for the weekend.”

He’ll need them, with Marlow hosting league leaders Rugby on Saturday.