M&T AWBRIDGE gave another strong performance in drawing 2-2 away to high-riding Upham on Saturday.

This was another occasion on which Awbridge will feel aggrieved not to have won. However, things could have been much worse as they played the final 30 minutes with only ten men, striker Alex Hoyle having been dismissed for two questionable bookable offences.

Awbridge opened brightly to boss the best part of the first half. Andy Claxton opened the scoring after 15 minutes, converting emphatically from the penalty spot after Hoyle had been sent sprawling by Rob Holland as he homed in on goal.

Upham held the initiative while they were in arrears and squared things 12 minutes later. Tom Hastings got forward to head home from close range after M&T had failed to clear their lines.

M&T wrested the ascendancy again to regain the lead within five minutes. A flowing passage of play saw Gregg Meehan feed iIan Clarke down the right, and he scored with a low shot inside Steve Chamberlain's near post.

It all changed around in the minute before half-time. First Hoyle was cautioned for an innocuous challenge on the Upham right-back near the half-way line. The resultant free-kick was launched forward by Neil Kerton, and a moment of hesitation in the M&T defence resulted in the ball bouncing over keeper Richard Blake for a remarkable equaliser.

The second half was more level with regards to possession and territorial advantage, but M&T were formidable in defence.

Clarke went close to restoring M&T's lead but his 25-yard free-kick rebounded to safety off the home crossbar.

Almost immediately M&T were down to ten men, Hoyle being sent off for a second cautionable offence. This time he'd tried to charge down Chamberlain's clearance following a back-pass, but was adjudged to have been a bit too enthusiastic.

M&T comfortably negotiated the last 30 minutes, keeping their opponents at arm's length.

Mike Hayward, brought on as substitute in the lone striker's role, was difficult to dispossess and held the ball up to really good effect.