BLAENAVON Blues started only their second game of the year with a much changed side, Craig Harris, Steve White and Marc Browning all starting.

Blues began slowly and Abercarn took an early lead.

After thirty minutes of pressure Blues started to enjoy some possession of their own, Harris set up Craig Tanner who was denied by an excellent save by United’s keeper.

Almost immediately Brownings through ball found Tanner, again the keeper made a great stop.

It wasn’t all Blues and Matt Cox made a great tackle to stop Abercarn increasing their lead with half time looming Abercarn hit the post and the Blues went in at the break one goal down.

Blues took the game to Abercarn in the second half and equalised when the excellent Mike Waite released Tanner down the left flank, his pin point cross enabled White to plant a rare header into the Abercarn net.

New signing Lee Penry came off the bench and immediately set up Waite with a clever through ball, Waites’ first effort was cleared off the line and when the rebound came back to him, his shot was scrambled away by the overrun United defence.

Waite again tested the home defence, volleying into the side netting and again, after winning a tackle, narrowly shooting over the bar.

With time running out Blues produced the move of the match, Tanner, Browning and Waite combined to put Penry through on goal, his shot was again well saved by the home keeper.

Cox was the pick of Blues defenders, ably assisted by Lee Wathen, Grant Evans, Richard Williams and keeper Lee Jones.

The midfield of Waite, Tanner, Browning and Jamie Brankley worked tirelessly, whilst up front Harris, Penry and White were a constant threat to the home defence.

Blues will be happy with the point but need to build on this performance and start winning the games that their football deserves.