We welcomed back captain Adam Green and Luis Oliveira from suspension, but the injury list continues to mount, leaving the squad feeling a little threadbare.

The Salts started well, playing into a vicious wind, with Luke Miller shooting over in the 9th minute. However, five minutes later we found ourselves one down. Kionte Gillfillian-Waul, filling in at left-back, missed a tackle 30 yards out as Tadley switched the ball to the left wing. A pinpoint cross into the middle of the penalty area created an unmissable chance.

Seven minutes later, we were back on level terms. Ali Fofahan sent the ball out to the right wing, where Miller pinged in a cross towards Obasanjo Akinnirayne, making his first start for the club. He was hauled back by a Tadley defender, and a penalty was awarded. Adam Green confidently converted his fifth penalty of the season, sending the keeper the wrong way and finding the bottom left corner.

Parity was short-lived. Luis was adjudged to have fouled a Tadley attacker on the edge of the box after mis-controlling the ball and swinging at where it should have been, only to upend the opponent. It was a questionable yellow card, and from the resulting free-kick, The Salts failed to clear their lines, allowing a simple tap-in to make it 2–1 to Tadley.

On 33 minutes came what should have been a game-changing moment. Brendan Murphy-McVey crossed again from the productive right wing to the back post, where Jason Brown headed back across goal. The ball fell to Adam, whose diving header seemed destined for the far corner until a Tadley defender pulled off a “worldy” save — unfortunately with his hand — and was duly sent off. Adam stepped up for the resulting penalty, sending it low towards the bottom left corner, but the Tadley keeper produced an excellent save.

Faebien Witter, back in goal, was booked for a clumsy attempt at a clearance near the corner flag, and right on half-time, Toby Young headed over as it looked like the ten men of Tadley were set for a difficult second half.

As the wind eased, the second half began with a flurry of yellow cards — three for the home side in quick succession as tempers flared and the referee, who was being observed, started to lose control of the match. The third yellow, for dissent, left Tadley temporarily down to nine men for ten minutes.

The Tadley keeper pulled off an excellent double save on 66 minutes from Luis and Ali, yet the home side still looked the more threatening, even two players down.

More cards followed for delaying the restart as Tadley looked to waste time, along with one for Toby Young for over-aggression, as the referee began to see offences that no one else appeared to notice all over the pitch.

Only two substitutes were used by The Salts as we scrambled for an equaliser — a far cry from the expectation at half-time that we’d be pushing for a winner, or that the game might already have been wrapped up.

With three minutes remaining, as Epsom & Ewell threw players forward, Tadley broke away and their substitute should have scored, left completely unmarked in the penalty area.

Tadley then had two more excellent chances to finish the game off, with the latter brilliantly saved by Faebien.

There was still time for three more yellow cards in added time — including one for Obasanjo for a needless foul and another for Dundo, who had earlier come off the bench, for a late lunge inside their penalty area.

Overall, The Salts will be disappointed not to have picked up at least a point and will be hoping the injury list shortens over the next few days ahead of our first home game at Chalky Lane against Thatcham Town next weekend.