Stuart Lake was the Hampton hero with an equalising goal deep into injury time that salvaged a 2-2 draw against league leaders Braintree Town on Tuesday night at the Beveree.

Despite the Beavers leading at half time through a Craig Dundas strike the unbeaten Essex visitors looked to have won all three points when they took the lead with a late goal of their own before Lake struck.

Dev made two changes to the starting line-up that achieved the Beavers first win of the season over Bromley on Saturday, with Chico Ramos and Graham Harper coming in for Davies and Wells.

And despite missing a whole host of first-team players through injury and suspension, Hampton would have been confident of beating a team they achieved the double over last season.

The Beavers started well and were denied what seemed to a clear penalty as early as the fifth minute when a long Barrie Matthews cross fell to Elliott Brathwaite in the area.

Elliott may have mis-controlled the cross, but his shirt was clearly held in the penalty area, and despite the home protests nothing was given.

For the majority of the half though, it was the Braintree side playing with the confidence of boasting a 100% win record that had the better of play.

Ramos was by far the busier of the two keepers saving well on a few occasions, while the Braintree front-line of Leon Antoine and top-scorer George Purcell always looked a handful, and both had chances to put their team ahead.

Despite struggling to create any clear-cut chances of real note it was Hampton who took the lead late in the half as Craig Dundas followed up his first goal for the club against Bromley with another strike here.

A Stuart Lake shot took a fortuitous deflection into the path of Lawrence Yaku whose low cross was expertly turned in by the big front man in the 43rd minute to send the Beavers in one up at the break.

After the interval, Hampton were desperately unlucky not to double their lead when Marcello Fernandes hit the cross bar with a 30-yard free kick.

Marcello’s fine effort easily beat both wall and keeper before crashing back into play via the woodwork before being cleared to safety.

The lead though didn’t last for too long as a handling error by Chico Ramos, making his first competitive start, gifted Braintree an equaliser.

Ramos failed to hold onto a weak looking shot, giving George Purcell a simple chance in the 67th minute that he simply couldn’t miss.

Things almost went from bad to worse for Ramos and Hampton as another fumble should have gifted Braintree a second.

As the referee allowed play to continue with defender Braithwaite laying injured upfield, Ramos’ handling allowed the ball to squirm free to winger Tommy Tejan-Sie, who hit the post from only metres out with the goal gaping.

Tejan-Sie wasted another chance five minutes later after a defensive lapse by Barrie Matthews, but he looked to have won the game in the 81st minute after arriving unmarked in the area to plant a free header into the net giving Ramos no chance.

The goal seemed to spur the Beavers on though and they finally managed to get support to the often-isolated forward line as they finished the game with a greater sense of urgency.

First Jeffrey headed just wide from a free kick, before a series of long throws from substitute Jon McDonald put the visitors defence under intense pressure.

With some cynical time-wasting it looked like Braintree would protect their lead as the game entered the fifth minute of injury-time before another long throw create havoc in the penalty area, and when the ball broke to Dave Tarpey his inch perfect cross was headed home by Stuart Lake in front of the ecstatic home fans.

The draw leaves Hampton with four points from a possible 12, although with Craig Dundas showing fine form, and key first-teamers set to return to the line-up, Dev will expect his side to start to string together some positives results.

Next up for the Beavers is an away trip to Bath (22nd August) before they return back to the Beveree to entertain Thurrock a week later.

The Beavers: Chico Ramos, Marcello Fernandes, Craig Tanner, Orlando Jeffrey (c), Elliott Brathwaite (Dave Tarpey 70), Graham Harper (Jon McDonald 74), Stuart Lake, Francis Quarm, Craig Dundas, Lawrence Yaku (Ian Hodges 68), Barrie Matthews.