MARLOW Football Club claimed a point off Ryman second division leaders Barking with a spirited display that could have earned them three at Oak Tree Road on Saturday, had sloppy defending not let them down.

The Blues twice took the lead, but they were twice pegged back by close range efforts from unmarked Barking men.

In a game where it was hard to pick out who were the second division leaders and who were the mid-table side, Marlow looked the better team for long periods of the clash.

After a fairly even and uneventful first half, the match exploded into life after the break when the home side took the lead.

Sam Shepherd booted the ball, from just inside the half way line, into the back of the net after spotting Barking keeper Andy Hall off his line.

But just four minnutes later the visitors were back on level terms when Ashley Marsh was given the space in front of the Marlow goal to head home Chris Rose's cross.

John Isaac, with his first goal for the senior side, restored the Marlow lead on 67 minutes when he squeezed the ball past the keeper but, again, it wasn't to last.

Nathan Thomas, again in space in front of the Marlow goal, saved his side's blushes when he headed in Glenn Southgate's corner.