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DAVE MARTIN  marked his return from injury with a goal but it proved in vain as Slade Green twice surrendered the lead at The Small Glen on Saturday in their final home game of the season. 

It was Deal who asked the early questions and twice inside the opening seven minutes Ryan Tomlinson found himself well placed only to firstly be thwarted by keeper Paul Vines before rifling the ball over the bar from close range. 

Green’s first opening came on 12 minutes, as Dean Bowey’s neat lay off released Ryan Robinson whose effort was turned round the post by Jason Hughes. 

Three minutes later Green moved ahead, as Robert Browning’s header found Dean Bowey who from 12 yards guided an exquisite lob over the keeper into the net.  

Green’s lead lasted just three minutes though as Josh Davidson’s cross was headed home by Darren Waring. 

With 36 minutes on the clock Green regained their lead with a slice of good fortune, Dave Martin whipped in a free kick from the right and after striking the keeper the ball rebounded back off the post and into the net. 

Moments later Green looked set to strike again Browning’s deft pass sent Bowey through only to see his strike blocked by keeper Hughes. 

The action then catapulted back down the other end as David Bathgate set up Tomlinson but Paul Vines thwarted him with his legs. 

The start of the second half saw Deal on the offensive and with Green failing to deal with Andy Ward’s pass Dave Martin came to the rescue heading Tomlinson’s shot off the line. 

With 12 minutes of the second half played Deal levelled the scores with an exact replica of their first goal this time Bathgate supplying the cross for Waring to head home. 

Waring was proving to be a real threat in the air and this was again evident on the hour make as he met Gary Miller’s centre only to see Vines pull off a fine stop going full stretch to tip the ball over the bar. 

However, Vines was beaten 20 minutes from time when Danny Smith played out a neat double 1-2 before lobbing the ball over the Green shot stopper into the net.

Shortly after Green could easily have equalised as Martin’s corner fell to Dean Kearley but failed to keep his shot on target while at the other end Vines again demonstrated his agility tipping over Mark Kemps header while Tomlinson was denied by the woodwork. 

These two late missed chances by the visitors were almost punished in injury time by Dave Martin but he was unable to find the goal when he broke clear of the visitors defence.

Slade Green:  Vines, Barber, Bond (McQaude), Gallagher, Kearley, Penny, Martin, Barrett, Robinson, Bowey, Browning (Brown).  Other subs:  Lewis, Upson.