Hungerford Town 1, Redditch United 1

A last ditch equaliser denied the ten men of Redditch United the chance to close the gap on play off rivals Hungerford Town as their winless streak stretched to five games.

Luke Shearer’s first half penalty looked like it had secured a timely first league win since mid-January for the Reds but Charlie Mpi scrambled home a corner deep in stoppage time to rescue a point that Town barely deserved.

It was a crushing blow for Liam McDonald’s side who dominated the opening hour before a second yellow for defender Dan Scarr swung the game back in the hosts’ favour.

The result means Redditch remain eight points adrift of Hungerford who still occupy the final play-off place but the Reds’ will feel the gap should be much closer.

Having made a bright start it took just 16 minutes for the visitors to grab the lead through Shearer’s coolly taken spot kick after Town’s Diak John was penalised for a hand ball.

The Crusaders rarely threatened although Reds’ keeper Sam Hornby needed to be alert to claw away Alan O’Brian’s free kick.

Redditch should have doubled their lead five minutes after the break when Simeon Maye put George Carline clear but he dragged his effort the wrong side of the post.

It proved a costly miss as soon after defender Scarr was shown a second yellow card and his sending off lifted Town who began to turn the screw.

A string of fine saves from Hornby kept the Crusaders at bay but the pressure finally told deep in stoppage time as a Town corner was turned into the net by Mpi.

Hornby 8, Jones 7, Flanagan 7, DINSLEY 8, Scarr 6, McDonald 7, Spink 8, Carline 8, Shearer 7, Phillips 8 (Baker-Richardson 71) , Maye 8 (Caines 85). Subs not used: Angus, Sammons.