With five consecutive victories away from home the Vickers were thankful for an Anthony Hogg header on 76 minutes to maintain their unbeaten away record which stretches back seven games to 23rd January.

The Vickers took to the field with yet another youthful line up that with 19 year old Jack Bradshaw in goal behind George Mitchell (17) and Jack Asbury (19) in defence and with Uche Ibemere (17) up front.

Leyton were unrecognisable from the side that were beat 4-3 only two weeks earlier at Oakwood following a change in management and a number of new signings including Charlie Hamshare from AFC Wimbledon.

Despite the improved Leyton line up the Vickers started very well on a poor playing surface and playing against the strong wind that blew down the pitch.

Nick Hegley, returning to the starting line up for Kevin Winchcombe, found himself free on the left a number of times but his crosses evaded everyone.

The best chance of the half fell to Hegley who was picked out by Jack Asbury with a perfect diagonal ball at the far post but Hegley’s sidefoot went wide of the target from 10 yards out.

The Vickers were rarely troubled at the other end where Leyton found the central defensive pairing of George Mitchell and David Hunt impenetrable, ably assisted by full backs Jason Barton and Jack Asbury.

The Vickers forced a succession of corners and one corner from Asbury was flicked on by Penny and met by strike partner Ibemere at the far post but his header went over the bar from 5 yards out.

Ibemere had another chance when a partial clearance found him on the edge of the box but as the ball sat up to be volleyed he elected to lay it off to Gary Ward who was tackled by a Leyton defender.

Ward was involved in a fine move with Ibemere and Asbury and found himself on the edge of the box in some space but his left foot shot lacked the power to trouble the Leyton keeper.

Barton was fouled right on the edge of the box and from the resultant free kick Anthony Hogg’s low drive was destined for the right hand corner but a deflection turned the ball past the post for a corner.

Having played against the wind in the first half the Vickers had performed very well and were unlucky not to have gone into the lead at the interval.

The second half saw an improvement from the hosts with Hamshare involved in most of the better play with one run and shot testing keeper Jack Bradshaw at the near post.

The Vickers were still looking the more likely side to score however and Hegley was proving to be a threat down the left hand side.

Leyton looked to attack on the counter and one good move brought out an excellent save from Bradshaw as the right winger got on the end of a good ball from Hamshare inside Barton and Bradshaw saved low to his left to deny Leyton.

An even better chance fell to Leyton when a loose ball across the box found the left winger but he missed the ball completely with the goal at his mercy.

On 68 minutes a flowing move involving Hogg and Hegley found the left winger on the edge of the box where he was upended for a free kick.

Bradshaw’s low drive lacked any real power and the ball was quickly cleared upfield where Hamshare played it inside to his strike partner and as the ball came back off a Vicker’s defender the ball was hit early by Hamshare and crept inside the left hand post past Bradshaw on 70 minutes.

Some wild celebrations ensued from the somersaulting Hamshare and from the over exuberant bench who ran onto the pitch which proved to be a little too early with 20 minutes remaining.

Sure enough the Vickers applied pressure to the Leyton goal and the equaliser was a controversial one as following a flowing move involving Asbury and Bradshaw, Hogg found himself in the box and as he challenged for the ball the centre half appealed for a foul.

The loose ball was snapped up by Bradshaw who beat his man and sent in a deep cross to Ibemere which was half cleared and Hogg sent a perfectly placed looping header into the top left hand corner with a player on the line on 76 minutes.

Callum O’Shea was immediately introduced for Ibemere as the Vickers went with three up front in an attempt to win the game.

The former Eire U18 international nearly did just that as captain Gary Ward found him with a crossfield pass and as the ball sat up to be volleyed the normally technically precise O’Shea blazed his volley over the bar.

The Vickers forced three corners in the last 10 minutes of play but failed to create any more chances as the score remained at 1-1 after 90 minutes.

VCD Line up J Bradshaw, Asbury, Barton, Hogg (1 goal), Mitchell, Hunt, Ward, Firth, Penny (sub Bradshaw 60 mins), Ibemere (sub O’Shea 76 mins), Hegley

Subs not used Kevin Watson, Jason Dolby and Reece Walsh