DIVISION ONE SOUTH AND WEST: Uxbridge 2 Cirencester Town 2

Uxbridge failed to make the start Tony Choules wanted and expected as they had to come from behind to steal a point at home to Cirencester Town.

The Reds led 1-0 midway through the first half having already missed a penalty, but they needed an equaliser from substitute Lee Tunnell to snatch a draw after Cirencester, who were relegated from the Premier Division last year, struck twice in eight minutes.

They also hit the woodwork late on, the second time in the afternoon, to leave Choules counting his blessings.

"We've had them watched and we knew exactly what they were going to be about, but I might as well have watched Batman," fumed Choules. "We seemed to fall from grace very quickly and very easily and I felt that we mugged Cirencester because we didn't deserve anything.

"I think if the penalty had gone in we would have won the game three or four-nil but Cirencester sensed we weren't at the races and in the end I'm the happier manager because we robbed them of two points.

"The back four, which was the only department that played together through pre-season, looked awful."

Matt Williams twice went close to putting Cirencester ahead early on before Uxbridge got into their stride and Dave Lawrence, one of five debutants, brought a save out of Tom King.

Paul McCarthy saved bravely at Julian Alsop's feet before Dave Warner had the chance to put the Reds in front with an 11th minute penalty after he was felled, but King guessed right and kept out his weak effort.

Regular taker Mark Nicholls is suspended for the opening three games.

Gary Thorne, who conceded that spot kick, should have scored for the visitors but somehow hit the bar and instead Kevin Warner headed the Reds in front from a cross by Frazer Toms, signed on the eve of the season from Barton Rovers.

Both sides had further chances before Toms tripped Williams, who picked himself up to level from the spot, and after Mark Dennison's piledriver was somehow kept out by King, Steve Davies beat a hesitant McCarthy to pot a second for Cirencester.

Tunnell took just six minutes after coming on to make his mark, tapping into an empty net following good work by Charlie Hill, and they breathed a huge sigh of relief when Adam Heath's late effort struck the post and stayed out.

UXBRIDGE: McCarthy, Brown, Thomas, Wharton, Dennison, Carter, Toms, K Warner (Tunnell 63), Hill (Fermie 86), D Warner, Lawrence. Subs not used: Everley, Howe, Bullivant.

Goals, Uxbridge: KWarner 24; Tunnell 63. Cirencester: Williams 58 (pen); Davies 66. Attendance: 131.

DIVISION ONE SOUTH AND WEST AFC Totton 6 AFC Hayes 0

DISTRAUGHT manager Joe Mitchell admitted he considered quitting just 90 minutes into the new season after AFC Hayes slumped to a 6-0 defeat at league newcomers AFC Totton.

Very few players emergedwith any credit and Wessex League champions Totton could even afford to miss a penalty as they romped to a huge win.

For Mitchell it was an all too familiar feeling having shipped five or more goals on six occasions last year, and having

brought in several new faces, particularly in defence, the manager thought those results were a thing of the past.

"That is the worst performance since I've been there," said Mitchell. "We were shocking.

"I can't believe we played that bad and I'm just so, so, so disappointed.

"We were dire - we weren't even a good pub team.

"We worked hard in pre-season and I thought I'd put it right.

"The first five games are crucial because they are against good teams and I don't want to be playing catch up.

"I felt like packing it in because I feel like I'm wasting my time."

Hayes started badly and got worse as Danny Bennell went down injured and while the new left-back was getting treatment Totton went ahead through James Taylor, Mark Phillpott saved a penalty and Mark Osman doubled the lead with a 19th minute header. Taylor volleyed a third to put the hosts firmly in control with just 28 minutes gone before Hayes at least began to show some fight.

They had a lifeline when Jay Pereira was brought down but Craig Totton saw his spot kick saved and the hosts took over again. Hayes continued to give the ball away and in a 10-minute spell goals from Phil Warner, Taylor, to complete his hat-trick, and Ashley Jarvis, underlined a woeful day for Hayes in Southampton.

Mitchell at least has high hopes for new arrival Ross Ahir, an 18-year-old who has signed a contract after coming to Farm Park via AFC Wimbledon and North Greenford United.

HAYES: Phillpott, Walters, James, Paxton, Bennell, Charlery, Pereira, Ahir, Pitcher, Totton, Polidore. Subs: Pither, Osobu, Matthews, Frost, Jimmy.

Goals, Totton: Taylor 14, 28, 71; Osman 19; Warner (67); Jarvis (77). Hayes: None. Att: 294.

DIVISION ONE SOUTH AND WEST: Beaconsfield SYCOB 1 Uxbridge 0

LEE Tunnell played himself back into the starting line-up but Uxbridge were left with just one point from six after following an opening day draw with a 1-0 defeat at Beaconsfield SYCOB on Monday.

Tunnell was one of a three-man strike-force yet it was Beaconsfield that packed the punch, certainly until the final quarter of the game.

Stuart Swift grabbed the only goal of the game four minutes before half-time and the Reds, again without the suspended Mark Nicholls who is back for Monday's home derby with AFC Hayes, failed to find a way back.

"We went with an adventurous 4-3-3 and unfortunately it didn't work," admitted Tony Choules. "Beaconsfield gave us a tough game and I would say they actually beat us up.

"They worked very hard, as soon as we were on the ball we were closed down and they thoroughly deserved the win.

"We didn't play particularly well apart from the last 20-25 minutes.

"We had enough chances to nick a draw but it would have been harsh on Beaconsfield.

"I'm more happy today than I was on Saturday and we're not pressing any panic buttons yet."

In the first half Kevin Warner collected a long kick from keeper Paul McCarthy and turned but fired over the bar from an acute angle. Wayne Carter tested home stopper Nick Hart from distance but Uxbridge were left stunned when Swift fired a 41st shot past McCarthy to open the scoring.

Oliver Godwin almost added a second for the hosts before the interval and as SYCOB continued to have the better chances in the second half, McCarthy produced a good save to deny Daryl Jones.

Uxbridge frustration mounted as Kevin Warner lifted their best chance to date over the bar before the game ended in a frantic finale. Beaconsfield's Mick Swaysland and Kevin Warner for Uxbridge were both kept out by last gasp interventions to leave the visitors without a win from their first two games.

Uxbridge also lost left-back Dave Thomas to a leg injury in only the 19th minute and it is not yet clear how serious the problem is.

UXBRIDGE: McCarthy, Brown, Thomas (Lawrence 19), Wharton, Dennison, Carter (Howe 76), Toms, K Warner, Hill (Fermie 76), D Warner, Tunnell. Subs not used: Everley, Bullivant.

Goals, Beaconsfield: Swift 41. Uxbridge: None. Attendance: 193.