Terry Spillane was forced into a change shortly after selecting his starting line-up as Jamie Haywood limped off in the warm-up with a back injury with Daniel Hopkins who had originally been named on the bench replacing the utility player at right-back.

The Motormen started the game well with Vinnie Durrant looking dangerous at left-back tracking forward. Good play by Durrant helped set up Redbridge’s first chance which saw Ryan Murray head over a tough chance from a Michael Toner cross from the left.

Mitchell Das was given a chance to impress for Redbridge and the forward was working hard down the left for Redbridge, linking up well with his team-mates with some impressive touches. He had an early effort on goal flashing a first-time shot wide from 30 yards out.

Abbey were mainly on the back-foot for the first half but had a brief moment midway through the half where they came close to taking the lead first through their skipper Steve Cawley who saw a shot blocked in the area before Darren Bern saw a shot saved by Joe Wright in goal.

Just before the break Redbridge took a deserved lead going into half-time. Unsurprinsgly it came via a cross from Vinnie Durrant from the left who picked out Das perfectly in the area to head home his first home goal of the season and second overall.

The second half started with Redbridge going close to doubling their lead with Toner drilling a shot inches wide of Richard Hayward’s left-hand post and Gordon seeing a cross from the right aimed for Ryan Murray blocked before the big striker could turn to fire a shot in.

With the hosts having only a one-goal lead, Abbey grew in confidence and looked far brighter when Paul Wickenden brought on the pacey Aryton Coley on up top. The nifty forward looked a threat and it came as no suprise when he put the visitors on level terms.

Moments after Joe Gardner lost the ball near the by-line the ball broke for the visitors and Darran Bern’s through-ball caught out Redbridge’s back-line allowing Coley through on goal to clip the ball in over Wright to the frustration of the home supporters.

Despite Redbridge going close to retaking the lead through a Joseph Ellul header from a long Gardner throw-in moments later, they had to settle for a draw, which given the way the team had played so well in the first-half felt very like a defeat given the circumstances.

Redbridge: Joe Wright, Daniel Hopkins, Vinnie Durrant, Joseph Ellul, Glen Golby, Michael Toner, Mitchell Das (Shane Wyllie), Lewis Dark, Ryan Murray (Ryan Wade), Joe Gardner, Nathan Gordon.

Click here for Adam D's interview with our manager Terry Spillane from after the game.