IAN Long felt his side deserved their point following Richard Huckfield’s last gasp equaliser at The Moat Ground on Saturday.

Dale found themselves a goal down after 20 minutes when some sloppy Tivi defending allowed Alex Steadman to neatly finish to put the Moatmen ahead.

Long sent on trio Nigel Penney, Karl Edwards and Danny Priest from the bench in search for a goal in the closing stages but it was Huckfield who eventually claimed Tivi’s equaliser in stoppage time after a 30 second delay from the referee in the process.

Long said “It was a good point in the end.

“I felt it was well deserved given our second half performance and that’s now eleven games unbeaten, playing some very good opposition in the process.

“We gave a very sloppy goal away but we know that our players never give up and that was evident again on Saturday.

“Regarding events at the end of the game, I don’t think the delay from the referee to award our goal helped matters at all. It was a very tense atmosphere throughout the game and that’s understandable given Gresley are pushing for the play-offs.

“Let’s move on, look forward to our appeal at Wembley on Tuesday morning, and then we entertain Spalding of the evening which will be a very difficult game once again.”