Beavers made to sweat

The Beavers ended last night's match with Heybridge in the same position that they started it - needing one win to definitely make sure of the Ryman Championship.

With a minute to go and trailing 2-1 it could have been much worse.

But Stuart Lake's late equaliser, a minute from time, means that Bromley must win at Boreham Wood on Saturday to stand a chance of overhauling the Beavers, who host Slough Town.

Spurred on by a huge crowd Hampton surged forward looking for the win.

Heybridge were not quite lying down and rolling over but they did seem to have come for the draw.

Hampton were positive going forward, Graham Harper, Alan Inns, Marvin Bartley and Ian Hodges all went close early on, while Kelvin McIntosh, in midfield, was winning all the 50/50 challenges.

In the 17th minute from a Dean Wells free kick, Hodges nodded the ball on, Ryan Lake running on lashed a shot into the side netting.

Then in the 21st minute Hampton were awarded a penalty after Lawrence Yaku was brought down, Ryan Lake placed the spot kick a shade to Danny Gay's left, the Heybridge keeper went the right way and made the save.

In the 25th minute Hodges drilled over a cross from the right which bounced along the Heybridge cross bar.

A minute later Yaku fed the ball through to Bartley who was stopped by a good challenge.

Marcello Fernandes then made an even better tackle to break up a dangerous Heybridge attack. In the 34th minute Yaku beat a defender on the by-line and then scooted along the line with the ball, he shot, Gay blocked, he shot again another block, Inns then poked the loose ball a foot wide of the post.

Five minutes from half time, Yaku chased down a lost cause and acrobatically turned the ball back across goal but there were no red shirts in support, his pace had taken him away from everyone.

The second half stuttered along as play was stopped on more than one occasion for injuries and Gay continually slowed the game by setting up his goal kicks as if he were preparing to putt for the Open.

Eventually referee Dave Bushell spotted the ruse and chivvied Gay along.

If the plan was to disrupt Hampton's play then the ploy certainly worked for a while.

With fingernails being chewed right down to the quick, Hampton at last got on the scoring sheet. Hodges from close range getting on to the end of Stuart Lake's cross from the right.

Then came two minutes of mayhem! Hodges was booked for a foul - which was a bit harsh, considering the battering he had taken all night.

From the free kick Heybridge skipper Michael Shinn hooked the ball in to equalise with their first shot of the game.

Hampton attacked down the left from the kick off and as the cross came over, Hodges instinctively put his hand up to the ball.

Knowing what he had done, Hodges did not wait for the inevitable second yellow card and walked off the pitch, berating himself loudly for his act of stupidity.

Things couldn't get any worse, but they did. Matt Lovett was penalised for handling the ball on the edge of the area and Danny Barber drove the free kick in off a Hampton defender.

It was then a case of all-out Beavers attack in a bid to salvage something from the game.

A minute from time, a Glen Harris corner was beaten away, Harper launched over a high hanging cross and Stuart Lake at the far post headed in a equaliser to keep the championship within Hampton's grasp.

So, it is all down to the last game of the season at home to relegated Slough Town.

In their last three games Slough have scored none and conceded 14 goals.

But, with the Beavers having signed two of their best players last summer in Harris and Hodges, there is little doubt that Slough will relish the chance to spoil Hampton's promotion hopes.

Hampton: Matt Lovett; Graham Harper, Ryan Lake (Glen Harris, 57), Marvin Bartley (Stuart Lake, 64), Rob Paris, Dean Wells, Alan Inns, Lawrence Yaku, Ian Hodges, Marcello Fernandes, Kelvin McIntosh.