Despite seeing a two-goal lead slip away, Halstead Town manager Mark Benterman felt a draw was a fair result as his team held one of Thurlow Nunn League division one’s promotion favourites.

In a strong first half for Halstead at Rosemary Lane, they surged into a 2-0 lead against Saffron Walden Town with two goals in three minutes around the half-hour mark.

Strikes from Ryan Swallow and then Scott Yearling gave them breathing space against the second-placed side, but the Bloods hit back and halved the deficit at the break with a goal by Stuart Kingham in the 41st minute.

That end to the half gave the visitors momentum heading into the second period and a leveller eventually came in the 70th minute as Jamie Solkhon headed in from a corner.

Benterman said: “I was over the moon with how we played as we knew it was going to be a tough day and our first half was absolutely fantastic.

“We would have liked to have gone in at 2-0 at half-time as a goal three or four minutes from half-time gave them the ascendancy and encouragement to come out in the second half.

“There’s no way you can go unbeaten (in the league) since August and not come out like that.

“I think a draw was a fair result as they had periods in the game, but you expect that from top sides.”