After a cagey start to the game Redbridge took the lead on 13 minutes. Good pressing from Lee Martin forced Ilford’s keeper Dan Mbaku into making a rash clearance. The ball fell happily to the feet of Jacob Cleaver who took his time before stroking the ball home. It was the young forward’s ninth league strike of the season and his 10th overall in a fine debut season at the club.

Cleaver was in the thick of the action shortly after. First the striker curled an effort over the bar from the edge of the box before finding strike-partner Martin inside the area. Unfortunately the youngster on loan from Dartford couldn't control the ball as well as he would have liked and saw his effort blocked by the onrushing Mbaku who looked eager to make up for his error in the Motormen’s goal.

Ilford seemed to wake up after Mbaku’s save and on 41 minutes grabbed a stunning equaliser to level the scores. A long ball from the back found Danny Crowie out-wide on the left for the Foxes. He took one touch before striking a stunning left-footed effort across goal and past the Michael Bowditch in the home goal. It was a bolt out of the blue and one the young keeper was powerless to stop.

After half-time, Ilford came out the better side and Shane Lemard was forced into clearing a header from Paul Oshin off the line following a corner. Crowie then fired a shot from a tight angle over at the end of a mazy 30-yard run before Shamrez Darr appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty after going down in the box as Kevin Lucas’s side pressed for a second

Redbridge came back into the match and on 65 minutes came close to re-taking the lead when Antony McDonald saw an effort inside the area come back off the post with Mbaku well-beaten after good work by Cleaver and Jay Porter.

With time running out both sides pressed for a winner. Centre-half Lemard was forced into making another clearance of his line with Ilford going close also through Jody Banim who had an excellent game in the middle of the park.The Motormen’s best chance fell to leading scorer Cleaver inside a crowded box but sadly for him his shot on the turn was blocked before falling into the grateful arms of Mbaku. A point apiece probably a fair result.

Redbridge: Michael Bowditch, Danny Hayes, Charlie Rolls, Antony McDonald, Shane Lemard, Sam Holloway, Stephen Ikumelo (Charlie Portway 68), George Monger, Jacob Cleaver, Lee Martin (Ryan Reed 60), Jay Porter (Robbie Rees 80).

Click here for Del Robinson's post-match interview with Adam Dennehey.