HALSTEAD Town claimed a 1-1 draw at Ilford in the Essex Senior League, writes KEN GILLIARD.

It was a much better second half from Halstead, who have not always gained the points their performances deserve.

The Humbugs will reflect that a point was as good as they deserved in a game where Ilford were often the better side.

The visitors took to the field with Jake Brown, Ben Morris and Jack Schelvis restored to the midfield and it was Brown’s 200th appearance in a Humbugs shirt.

The opening half an hour produced very little of note and the two chances that were created went the way of the hosts.

They both fell to Joe Lilly; first he fired wide from 20 yards followed by him blazing over from ten yards when he really should have put the hosts ahead.

That really summed the first half up with few chances, goalless and a 45 minutes which will not live long in the memory of those that saw it.

Ilford came out the stronger and within the first few minutes Robbie Bennett was called on to make some important blocks, first from Mattock and then Josh Boxall.

Halstead then had their best chance of the game to that point when Alfie Cleal played in Joel Older but defender Fisher did superbly to recover and deflect his effort wide.

The game was a better watch in the early stages of the second half and Ilford were threatening with Halstead keeper Jack Cherry doing well to save a dangerous ball cross and then Bennett was once again called into action with an important block.

Ilford went ahead just after the hour mark when Lilly followed up to score on the rebound after Cherry had made a great save from Boxall to give them the lead.

But parity was restored with 15 minutes remaining when the recently introduced Tom White scrambled the ball home following a corner and setting up a huge final 15 minutes for both sides.

Ilford almost restored their advantage straight away but Boxall was once again denied by a great save from Cherry.

And at the other end Ilford stopper Tim Pitman pulled off a fantastic save to deny White a second.

The minutes were ticking away and the final effort on goal came from Ilford’s Mattock but his curling effort landed on the top of the net.