Hemel have never beaten the Fleet but will feel like they have after coming back from two goals down to take a point.

Goals in either half for the home side looked to have set them on their way but a late rally from the visitors denied the Fleet another three points.

A fantastic effort from the ground staff and volunteers got the game on after a day of rain, with the match referee passing the pitch fit at 7pm.

It was a perfect start for the Fleet who grabbed an early goal inside five minutes. A corner taken by Ben Coker was only half cleared into the path of Toby Edser who hit his usual impressive effort first time which flew low past goalkeeper James Holden.

Dominic Samuel came close to doubling the lead as he met a long ball upfield with his head but Holden claimed that first. And the Fleet striker had another go when a close-range effort was cleared off the line.

Charlie Seaman got a delivery over that Ronny Nelson was unfortunate not to make more of as that skipped just wide.

The first chance for the visitors fell on 26 minutes when an acrobatic effort at the near post looked threatening but didn’t cause too much concern for Matt Hall. 

The Fleet goalkeeper was called into action minutes later, however, when Olly Davis went to ground under Gene Kennedy’s challenge. Remaye Campbell stepped up to take it but Hall went the right way to keep it out. 

There was little to excite either side’s fans after that with both sides cancelling each other out as half-time loomed.

The second half started srtrongly for the Fleet and Samuel’s positive from Edser’s through ball saw his shot gathered by Holden.

But the lead was soon doubled when 10 minutes after the restart, when Ben Chapman collected from a corner, looked up and sent a drive bending into the far corner of Holden’s goal. 

The chances continued to come when a quickly-taken again released Samuel on goal but his shot was blocked by Louis Lomas.

Despite that valiant opening 80 minutes, the comeback was on late in the game. Finlay Wilkinson’s low shot caused confusion in the box and Isiah Noel-Williams was able to strike.

With seven minutes of time added and some bizarre free-kicks awarded by the referee, Hemel got a final chance in the 95th minute. Fleet failed to kill the game as they went to clear their lines and a ball was crossed to the right flank where debutant and substitute Aston Ellard had space to pick the corner and convert the equaliser.

EUFC: Hall, Fielding (Passley 46), Ehmer, Nelson, Seaman, Coker (Manktelow 67), Hessenthaler, Kennedy, Edser (Coley 79), Chapman, Samuel (Appiah 81).

Subs not used: Cosgrave, Barnes, Sandford

HHTFC: Holden, Stanley, Dowrich, Rowan (Wilkinson 66), Lomas, Bateson (Cook-Appiah 77), Wiltshire, Achuba (Williams 66), Orentzen-Jones (Ellard 82), Davis (Noel-Williams 51), Campbell.

Subs not used: Vilhete, Morrell

Attendance: 895

Photos: ©EUFC / Dave Plumb, Ed Miller