Tilbury 3, Leighton Town 3

Southern League Division One East

Saturday, January 29

TILBURY'S management team didn't know whether to laugh or cry after watching their side take an early lead, slip to a 3-1 deficit and then stage a magnificent fightback to earn a draw.

Sadly, though the point took Tilbury to their best unbeaten run of the season, with three draws and a Thameside Trophy victory, they lost ground in the battle against relegation as Dartford gained an unlikely three points at home to Wivenhoe, though Great Wakering's defeat keps the margin to safety at nine points.

Nevertheless Tilbury have something to build on and they should draw inspiration from the way they came back with a storming last 20 minutes on Saturday.

Things began so well for the home side with a goal after just five minutes. The finish came from John Purches who held his nerve in front of goal after good work down the flanks from Keith Wilson and Matthew Judge created the opportunity.

However the goal served only to lift the opposition and Leighton began to dominate both possession and position, with Tilbury forced onto the back foot. Goalkeeper David McCartney found himself busy in repelling a number of attacks but there was little he could do on 18 minutes when a shot from took a wicked deflection off John Langton and left him wrongfooted as it nestled in the net.

Leighton continued to cause the home side many problems, particularly with some quality crosses and they took the lead on 29 minutes when captain Jason Haggerwood got on the end of a fine ball into the box and launched a great header past McCartney.

Tilbury might have gone in on level terms but Judge was unlucky to see his shot come off the woodwork.

After the break Tilbury stepped up the pace and looked the more likely to grab the next goal but on 51 minutes they found themselves two goals behind when hesitation in the home defence allowed Matt Rawdon to nip in.

That should have been game over but Tilbury are showing resilience in the face of adversity and they rallied superbly throughout the closing half hour. Wilson put them right back into the match on 65 minutes when determination in a crowded box saw him seize the opportunity to slam the ball just inside the post.

With the bit now firmly between their teeth Tilbury pushed forward with real determination and they had their hosts rocking, though they were still at danger from some rapid counter-attacks, with McCartney proving their saviour on more then one occasion, with one particularly fine stop to force a goalbound effort past his upright.

His efforts were rewarded at the other end in the closing minutes when Wilson swung a fine curling cross into the box and Callan Ware rose highest to force home a superb header.

The equaliser was greeted with jubilation and Tilbury might even have nicked all the points at the death when substitute Danny Exley reacted quickest at the near post and his effort rolled agonisingly across the face of goal with no-one on hand to get a winning touch.