Mix of emotions for boss Paul Doswell after Bath City stalemate moves Hawks back into play-off positions

Striker Manny Duku cannoned a 90th-minute penalty against the crossbar as the visitors had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Twerton Park.

The spot-miss miss was one of several chances squandered by the Hawks on what proved a frustrating afternoon in front of goal.

Yet despite starting the day in ninth and only managing to pick up a point, it was enough to lift Doswell's side up two places to seventh in table and into the play-off places for the first time in a whopping 108 days.

Both St Albans and Hungerford, who have now dropped to eighth and ninth in the division respectively, were beaten so it proved a beneficial point in the end.

Although Doswell conceded there was a slight feeling of deflation given what could have been if Duku had converted his late penalty.

‘Being sensible about it, we've come down to Bath, put in a very good performance - we're missing players as well - for us to go into the play-offs with five games to go, it gives us a chance,’ assessed the Hawks boss.

‘We're just disappointed because when you miss a penalty with five (minutes) to go, it feels a little bit like you've lost.

‘I wouldn't say it got away, but we deserved to win - obviously the penalty miss in the 90th-minute is hard to take - but before that we created four or five excellent chances.

‘But you take a point away from home, I've learnt that over the years, it just turns Easter Monday (against Eastbourne Borough) into another big game.

‘We wouldn't have got into the play-offs today even with two extra points. We know what we've got to do, we've just got to hope people recover well, especially for Monday because we've been good at home.’

The chances were coming but being missed before Duku's failure to convert a late spot-kick. Scott Rendell headed wide from a good position in the lead up to half-time, then Duku nodded wide of goal after the restart.

James Roberts was then unable to get on the end of a dangerous Duku cross with 15 minutes of normal time remaining.

Just when it looked as though the points would be shared, the Hawks were handed a golden chance when substitute Jake Andrews was brought down in the area with a penalty awarded on 90 minutes. But Duku failed to convert, crashing a fierce strike against the crossbar, as it ended 0-0.

Seventh-placed Hawks face a quick turnaround as they welcome place-higher Eastbourne Borough on Easter Monday (3pm).