STOURPORT welterweight Ernie Smith picked up only the fourth draw of his 96-fight professional career at Cleethorpes Winter Gardens.

Smith had to overcome a cut beneath the right eye to earn a 57-57 share of the spoils against Epworth puncher Davy Jones.

The injury came towards the end of a bad tempered fourth round, possibly as the result of a clash of heads.

Having frustrated the well supported local favourite throughout with a staccato jab, there was no doubt Smith deserved a draw despite the protests of Jones and his team.

The Epworth man had looked fairly promising earlier in his career but his form has slipped a little in recent bouts and he is now without a victory in his last four contests.

There were those at ringside who felt that Smith's more aggressive stance should have been enough to earn him the decision of Doncaster referee Dean Bramhald.

But he seemed happy enough with the score as he sets his sights on moving towards bout number 100.

This was his eleventh bout of the year so far so that milestone is likely to be reached in the not too distant future.