ELTON did not find the heavy Breightmet pitch to their liking but had enough possession and goal-scoring chances to equal the eight goals they scored against the same opponents earlier in the season.

The first minute was an indicator of how the game would be played with Elton forcing a corner that brought at least three chances to score but none were taken.

Three more one-on-one opportunities with the stand-in Breightmet keeper also came to nothing.

Against the run of play, Breightmet got in a cross that Lovatt got his head to and squeezed into the Vale goal off the post after 40 minutes.

Even then, Elton carved out two golden opportunities, but could not convert.

Vale camped in the Breightmet half for 10 minutes after the break and at last got some reward as a Lee Stott free kick was only cleared upwards. Jon Maylon was first to react to the loose ball to grab the equaliser.

That could have been the trigger for a landslide, but Chadwick fended off a player and was adjudged to have given away a penalty. McShane just converted as Phil Kenyon got a hand to the ball.

Elton suffered as a result of some wayward shooting and it looked as though a surprise was on the cards until the last minute when Lee Gaskell laid off a ball for Ben Sharples.

For once, the ball bounced kindly allowed enough for hime to dink the ball over Stott’s flailing arms into the goal for a share of the points.

Elton reserves did not play as well as in recent weeks, but converted their chances in a 4-1 win over Stockport Georgians.

Elton are at home to Hindsford on Saturday, and the reserves travel to AVRO. Both games kick off at 2pm.