Borussia Dortmund U23 boss Daniel Farke warned of an "experienced" SC Wiedenbrück side ahead of this Regional League clash and the 40-year-old was proven right as he saw his charges held to a 1-1 (1-0) draw away to their North Rhine-Westphalian neighbours on Saturday.

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Daniel Farke

Borussia's reserves were clearly the superior side in front of 783 spectators in Wiedenbrück but for much of the match could not break down their committed, cohesive and compact hosts, who are currently battling the drop.

The SC Wiedenbrück rearguard held firm until the 28th minute, when Marco Hober fired the Black and Yellows into the lead with a powerful shot from 25 metres – their first chance of the game. But in the period that followed the BVB attack spurned a spate of gilt-edged chances to double the advantage before the interval, with Massih Wassey (33), Hamadi Al Ghaddioui (42) and Patrick Mainka (43) all guilty of missing the mark.

Best chances to double the lead squandered

They were made to pay for their profligacy in the opening seconds of the second period, when SC Wiedenbrück substitute Pierre Merkel headed home to level the score at 1-1 (46). The equaliser only encouraged the hosts to become even more compact against a Dortmund side lacking ideas up top. It was an approach that worked too, as they kept out Farke's charges in the closing stages, with centre-back Patrick Mainka missing the last big chance in stoppage time.

With 45 points on the board, BVB II remain third but will move level with top-of-the-table Viktoria Köln (48 points) if they win their game in hand away to Sportfreunde Siegen on Wednesday evening (18:30 CET).

The league leaders recorded a comfortable 3-1 win over relegation candidates RW Ahlen on Saturday afternoon despite conceding the opener, while second-placed Borussia Mönchengladbach II (46 points) suffered a real setback on Friday as they were beaten 2-1 away at RW Essen.

David Inderlied / Florian Groeger