Leverstock Green were a couple of minutes away from claiming another three points and a league double over Hillingdon Borough, but an injury-time equaliser denied them the win. The point came at a cost, as Ben Butler was stretchered off late in the game to add to the club's growing injury crisis.

Today's squad was missing Junior Owusu-Akonor, still carrying the injury picked up in last week's game, and Steve Hatch, who suffered an injury playing for his college during the week that will keep him out for some time. Ross Miller was drafted in from the reserves, and there was a debut for another of Steve Heath's new signings, Steven Eyango-Bwanga, from France.

There was little to choose between the sides in the first half. In the 18th minute Paul Insley battled inside the box to set up a chance for Dan Griggs, but keeper Sam Beagle pulled off a great save to turn Griggs' shot round the post. On 30 minutes Insley was involved again as he ran down the right and sent over a cross to the far post. Lewis Pritchard laid it back to Bekim Culaj, but his shot was blocked by a defender.

Hillingdon's Jack Buckle shot just wide from the edge of the box on 36 minutes. Two minutes later a ball over the top put Pritchard through on goal, but Beagle saved well again to keep out Pritchard's shot. Two minutes before the break Carl Tasker had to tip a free kick from Buckle over the bar.

The second half saw some impressive attacking play from Leverstock. Insley caused more problems with his runs at goal, and Ioan Vranceanu tried a dipping shot from distance on 55 minutes that went just wide. Eyango-Bwanga came off the bench on 64 minutes to replace Vranceanu, and looked lively up front. On 71 minutes a ball down the line from Mark Shadbolt gave Eyango-Bwanga a run at goal, but his eventual shot went across goal.

Adam Hallissey replaced Culaj on 72 minutes, and three minutes later was involved in the goal that put Leverstock into a deserved lead. A patient build-up saw the ball worked from the right side of the box via Insley and Eyango-Bwanga to Hallissey on the left side, and Hallissey squared the ball for Pritchard, who had his back to goal but was able to turn and calmly sidefoot the ball under Beagle for a very neat finish.

Things looked to be going well, but five minutes later Ben Butler was caught by a late tackle from defender Luke Eldridge while having a shot at goal. Butler went down in agony, and after a few minutes of treatment on the pitch was stretchered off. By the time the game restarted with Joel Norris on in place of Butler, there were five minutes left but a lot of injury time to add.

In the 87th minute the referee awarded Hillingdon a penalty. It looked a harsh decision, as it seemed that Ricardo Biggi and Warren Gladdy leant into each other inside the box, but it was made even worse by Biggi being shown a yellow card. It was his second of the game so Biggi was off and Green were down to ten men. However, Carl Tasker guessed the right way and saved Buckle's penalty to preserve his side's lead. Tasker pulled off another great save a minute later to keep out a stinging shot from Murray Williamson.

The Green goal came under furious pressure in stoppage time, but the ten men looked to be holding out until Hillingdon won a corner. The ball dropped in the far side of the penalty area, where Michalis Livesey met it on the volley and drilled a low shot into the corner of the net that gave Tasker no chance and levelled the scores in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

There were still a few nervous minutes to endure as Hillingdon sensed a winner was likely, but Leverstock at least got their deserved point. Steve Heath will now take his depleted squad into two cup games - away to Boreham Wood in the Herts Senior Cup on Tuesday night (kick-off 7.45 pm), and away to Risborough Rangers in the Challenge Trophy next Saturday (kick-off 1.30 pm).