Adkins comes in from cold to save the day for Brakes

The midfielder had been absent from the squad since early December, but returned from a spell at Evesham United to stake his claim with his second goal of the season, snatching a deserved draw from the jaws of defeat.

While the game was not pretty to watch the performance was a million miles away from Saturday at Gosport, and one point may well have been three had there been a more competent official in charge of the game.

Players, management and supporters alike were raging as Stefan Moore was clearly barged to the ground inside the Chesham area with around 15 minutes to play, yet Referee Mr Gillett chose to overrule his assistant’s flag on the near side and wave play on.

Chesham had the better of the first half in terms of chances. Niall Cooper had a busy first 45 minutes, and his first save was special. Steve Wales’ low shot took a deflection and the young keeper saw it late, but his quick reactions saw him spring across goal to push the ball to safety.

Stefan Moore came agonisingly close to an early goal when he latched on to a dropping ball just inside the penalty area to loop a first time effort past the stranded Shane Gore and just past the post.

Chesham were ahead a minute before half time when Cooper got hands to James Potton’s skidding 25 yard drive but could not prevent it from nestling in the bottom corner. The keeper was brave enough to admit that he could have done better, but he had arguably kept his side in the game up to that point anyway with his contribution.

Brakes emerged with their tails up in the second half despite this setback, and Lee Chilton saw an early shot deflected behind.

James Mace headed wide from a corner as Brakes began to put their opponents under pressure with the clock ticking down, but it was a moment of magic from Adkins that secured a hard earned share of the spoils with three minutes to play.

Picking up the ball some 25 yards from goal, quick feet evaded three or four challenges on the edge of the area before the substitute crashed in a low drive that evaded the dive of Shane Gore, the bumpy pitch providing an unlikely ally as the ball found the bottom corner to the delight of the travelling Brakes fans.

Stefan Moore had the chance to provide a glorious finale when he beat two defenders just inside the box, but lost his composure and blazed his shot high over the bar.

Three points would have been even more welcome than one, but for now Brakes will be pleased that they have stopped the rot.

Chesham United: Shane Gore, John Kyriacou, Toby Little, Mark Lambert, Danny Gudgeon, James Potton, Dave Fotheringham, Steve Wales ( Lewis Rolfe, 70), Inih Effiong ( Bruce Wilson, 65) Simon Thomas, Chris Watters.Subs not used: Sam Barker, Matt Lench, Robert Bartley,

Leamington: Niall Cooper, Martyn Naylor, Stephan Morley , Joe Magunda, James Mace, Liam Daly, Matt Dodd, Lee Chilton, Stefan Moore, Lee Moore ( Ricky Johnson, 79), Richard Batchelor (Sam Adkins, 75). Subs not used: James Husband, Rob Thompson-Brown, Craig Owen.