FAIRFORD Town saw their lead at the top of Hellenic League Division One West reduced after they were held to a goalless draw at home to Shrivenham.

With Carterton completing a 7-0 rout over Cirencester Town Development, the Oxfordshire outfit are now only one point behind with three games in hand.

The opening 20 minutes lacked any real quality as neither side were able to take control of the game and the first chance of note fell to Jack Ellis when he latched onto a ball over the top but, after cutting back inside, saw his effort trickle wide of the post.

Three minutes later Leigh Brown went into the book for a late lunge on Jason Milhench and from the resulting free-kick Scott Chilcott got in at the back post but saw his effort cleared off the line by Jack Pedder.

In the 26th minute both sides were forced into a substitution as Jamie Proctor went in high for a 50/50 ball with Chilcott and after Proctor saw yellow, both players were forced to exit the game injured.

Fairford again went close to opening the scoring in the 36th minute when Ellis hit the bar on the half volley inside the box.

However, it was Shrivenham who ended the half the stronger and they were a threat from set-pieces, with Daryl Chapman seeing an effort cleared off the line after a corner was allowed to drop in the six-yard box.

The visitors started the second period in the same vein as they finished the first but were unable to trouble Fairford stopper Ben Mitchell, on an afternoon that turned out to be quiet for both goalkeepers.

Substitute Dan Hale had the best chance of the second half to hand Fairford the three points in the 75th minute but he fired over a from six yards out after latching onto a Lee Smith free-kick.

Fairford continued to press as the game went on but lost their momentum and Shrivenham’s Kias Bonner-Shae went closest to snatching the victory four minutes from the end of normal time when he saw his effort from a tight angle pulled across the face of goal.