MARCH Town United may be third bottom of Ridgeons Division One but they made an encouraging start to the new year, picking up a point at high flying Ely City on Monday. March took the lead with a fine strike from Daniel Moyes after 20 minutes but the lead

MARCH Town United may be third bottom of Ridgeons Division One but they made an encouraging start to the new year, picking up a point at high flying Ely City on Monday.

March took the lead with a fine strike from Daniel Moyes after 20 minutes but the lead only lasted five minutes.

Stephen Spriggs pegged the Hares back with an equaliser from the penalty spot after Steve Tuck was fouled in the area.

March first team coach Paul Swannell said: "The penalty was questionable but we played well and that is encouraging. We need to put a run together sooner rather than later but we are confident that we can start to move away from the bottom of the table."

Ely manager Steve Taylor said: "March aren't a bad side and I think their league position is false. They're a young side, who scored a good goal and a draw was probably a fair result."

Swannell said: "We are not playing badly but we are suffering from a lack of goals and being punished for making mistakes at the back."

The news wasn't quite so good on Boxing Day as March were made to pay for missed chances by visitors Downham Town.

Not for the first time this season, March produced everything but goals and dominated the game but their failure to put the ball in the net proved costly.

Both teams struggled in wintry conditions but Downham took advantage of the home team's hesitancy to score twice.

After missing numerous chances in the second half, March pulled a late goal back through Ashley Brand but it proved to be too little too late.

Swannell said: "In the first half, we were playing in to a blizzard and the game should not have been played.

"We dominated the second half but once again, couldn't score enough goals."

Andy Bryan and Darren Hurst will be back in the March squad for tomorrow's home match against Saffron Walden Town but Grant Watson and Harry Roe are still suspended.