Toivonen was again alert to push Nick Dasovic's shot around the post but

Toivonen was again alert to push Nick Dasovic's shot around the post, but the equaliser eventually arrived in the 76th minute when Lowndes, the former Watford striker, was on target.VPS Vaasa: Toiuonem, Kaultonen, Suoste, Koko, Jallonen, Priha, Kangaskorpi, Enqvist, Jaakkola, Pohja, Sykora. Late in the first half Pohja struck for Vaasa to make the Saints pay for their missed chances.The Perth side started the second half brightly. Simao picked up the resulting ball but Marko Suoste cleared the danger.John O'Neil was given a good opportunity but he headed straight at Toivonen when he should have done better. Miguel Simao's centre found Gerry McMahon on the edge of the box and the keeper came out to block his effort.The Finns looked dangerous on the break but the Saints were holding firm at the back after conceding seven goals in two games.

They should have taken the lead when the ball broke to the full-back John McQuillan on the edge of the box and he caught Toivonen off his line, but Petri Kokko was there to clear. VPS Vaasa 1 St Johnstone 1 A FIRST-HALF goal from the home striker Antti Pohja threatened to upset St Johnstone's Uefa Cup campaign in Finland yesterday, but Nathan Lowndes came to the rescue with a late equaliser for the Perth side in this first qualifying round first-leg game. The Saints' defence was caught out in the 40th minute as Pohja was found in acres of space in the box from Jassa Jallonen's pass, and he shot low past Alan Main.Sandy Clark's men were looking to qualify for the first round proper and they had several chances to gain the upper hand. However, some desperate defending from the Finns and some wasteful finishing let them down.Only brave goalkeeping by Panu Toivonen prevented the visitors making an early breakthrough. If an agreement is reached, they could take their place in the league by the end of the month - although they may have to settle for a place in the First, rather than the Premier, Division.Tomorrow week UniBond member clubs will attend a special meeting at which they will, if discussions go to plan, vote to admit Barrow - although some sides, notably Leek Town, are still opposed to their presence in the league.The Conference season also kicks off tomorrow. Scarborough mark their return to the non-League game after a 12-year absence with a home fixture against Yeovil Town..

The governing body has withdrawn its threat to suspend the league's clubs, so tomorrow's fixtures will take place - but without Barrow.Instead, the Bluebirds will hold talks with the UniBond League over the next few days. That would have meant the postponement of tomorrow's opening round of fixtures and the exclusion of clubs in the league from the FA Cup.This week the FA has rejected Barrow's appeal against their expulsion from the Conference, but it has softened its stance towards the UniBond. The UniBond initially refused to accept Barrow - and was last week threatened with suspension by the FA. After talks with the club and with Conference officials, the game's governing body ruled that Barrow should play this season at the level they would have occupied had they been relegated from the Conference ordinarily: the UniBond League Premier Division. The First North Western Trains League even produced a provisional fixture list for the season which included Barrow, who were given a home fixture against Formby tomorrow.Then the Football Association intervened.

The Cumbrian club had gone into liquidation, and the new outfit set up to play football at Holker Street was rejected by other Conference member sides. It seemed probable that, like other clubs before them such as Aldershot Town and Newport AFC, the Cumbrian team would have to start again at the bottom of the non-League pyramid. The Bluebirds finished last term one place above the relegation zone in the Nationwide Conference, but were subsequently expelled from the league at its annual general meeting. THERE IS at last some light at the end of the tunnel for Barrow, the former Football League club who have spent the summer trying to find a league to play in this season. Substitutes not used: Wieghorst, Healy, McKinlay, Kerr (gk).Referee: M Ross (Northern Ireland).. Substitutes not used: Morris, Pattimore, Goodridge, Sturch.Celtic (4-4-2): Gould; Riseth, Stubbs, Tebily, Mahe; Burley, Lambert, Petta (Blinker, h-t), Berkovic; Larsson (Johnson, 81), Viduka (Brattbakk, 81). Celtic need another 16 in the second leg to beat Chelsea's 18-year-old European aggregate record.Cwmbran Town (3-5-2): O'Hagan; Blackie, John, O'Brien; Dyson, Evans (Thomas, 60), Moore, Wigley (Aizlewood, 72), Wills; Summers (Hughes, 84), Graham. Gould again was less than convincing.The visitors went further ahead eight minutes after the break when O'Hagan failed to hold Paul Lambert's shot.