St Ives Town were denied Southern League Division One (Central) success by a stunning goalkeeping performance last night.

Ricky Marheineke’s men did have the consolation of continuing their unbeaten start to 2016 when being held to a 1-1 draw at Bedfordshire side Barton Rovers.

Saints hit the front courtesy of a terrific Jack Higgs strike midway through the first half, but they were pegged back 11 minutes into the second period.

And Saints could not find another way past home custodian Kyle Forster, who pulled off a series of terrific saves to ensure the spoils were shared.

Marheineke said: “The Barton Rovers goalkeeper played incredibly well.

“He was the difference between us drawing the game and winning it by four-or-five goals.

“It has to go down as two points dropped, but I’m pleased that the performance was a million miles away from the dreadful one we produced at Godalming last Saturday.”

St Ives remain third in the standings, but are now just two points behind leaders AFC Rushden & Diamonds.

A toothless attacking performance led to Godmanchester Rovers bowing out of the Hinchingbrooke Cup last night.

A penalty from top-scorer James Hall – his 27th goal of the season – was the only effort on target that Rovers managed in a 2-1 defeat to United Counties League Division One leaders Peterborough Sports.

Goddy endured a nightmare start when former St Ives and Huntingdon man Ollie Medwynter headed Sports, who possess the only remaining 100 per cent record in the top 10 levels of English football, ahead after just 90 seconds.

Another ex-Saint, Avelino Vieira, doubled the hosts lead before the woodwork kept out a Jordan MacLeod shot from long range.

Rovers halved their arrears from the spot with a quarter-of-an-hour to go from a generously-awarded spot-kick after Medwynter had been deemed to have handled a cross.

But they couldn’t muster a late rally to avoid a last-eight exit and becoming the fifth higher-level scalp to be claimed by Sports this season.

Eynesbury Rovers’ home tie against AFC Kempston Rovers in the United Counties League KO Cup was postponed for a third time last night.