Dial secured a hard-fought goalless draw away to FC Battersea Ironsides on Saturday (28 Feb) to keep their promotion charge to the National League System intact.

On a pitch that was more suitable for horse racing and rugby, and with one goalpost six inches higher that the other, Dial Boss Steve Brown said that it was “a point gained rather than two points lost” at Battersea Ironsides Sports Ground.

After coming up short away to fellow promotion chasers CB Hounslow & Abbots less than 48 hours earlier, Dial could ill-afford to come away empty handed against an inform Irons’ side who have not lost at home all-season.

With Charlie Marshall still recovering from a knock against Abbots, the stage was set for leading marksman Adam Bicknell to make his first start for Dial after resigning from rivals Cranleigh seven days earlier.

Full-back Callum Abraham-Barlow caught the eye earlier on when his low shot from the edge of the box flew just wide of the post.

Aidan Doran then sliced his shot wide, before being pushed in the box midday through the half, with Dean Banks waving away Dial’s penalty appeals.

Shortly after, good hold-up play from Bicknell just inside the box gave Dan Cenzano sight of goal, but his low shot from 20 yards bobbled just wide of the near post with Callum MacMillan at full-stretch.

However, it was the hosts that came closest to scoring on the half-hour mark when Tag Rowe glanced his header wide of the far post from four yards after Dial failed to clear their lines.

The visitors were riding their luck though when Tosin Oyebola was only booked for chopping down George Frith close to the Dial byline five minutes before half-time.

A minute later, Oyebola was the subject for his own appeal after claiming to be brought down in the box by Ross Ewen. Again, Banks was unimpressed and waved play on.

With Dial edging the first half, the hosts sought to press more in the second, and were inches away from taking the lead when substitute Ed Hodges lobbed George Mead, only to see his shot clip the bar in the 59th-minute.

At the other end, MacMillan needed to be on-guard to push away Cenzano’s rasping 25-yard drive midway through the second period.

But as tempers began to flare, Irons’ player manager Daryl Hunter was dismissed from the dugout following a rant towards Banks after several decisions went against the hosts.

With both sides looking to break the deadlock, Rowe sliced his shot well-wide of the target, before MacMillan spilled Jimmy Norman’s freekick in stoppage time. However, the Irons' shot-stopper managed to gather the ball in the nick of time to keep Dial at bay. In the end, 0-0 was a fair result.

Speaking after the match, Brown said: “It was a tough match on an extremely difficult playing surface, so I see it as a good point.

“Battersea are an awkward side to play against; they’re [mostly] tall, physical and use the pitch to their advantage; I can see why they haven’t lost at home this season.

“It’s good that we don’t have a fixture this Saturday (7 March). Several players are carrying knocks, so it gives them a couple of weeks to recover until our next league fixture against Richmond & Kew on Saturday-week [14 March].”

DIAL SQUARE: Mead, Ewen, Abraham-Barlow, Norman, Rogers, Frith (Hayes), Carter, Adag, Bicknell (Taylor), Doran (Corner), Cenzano. Unused subs: Brown, Federico.

MotM: Dan Cenzano