Honours and points were all even at Hartsdown Park as this ‘top of the table’ clash between second and first ended 1-1.

It was at times difficult to call, being closely fought and with both teams having periods on top, but even with clear chances going begging, it often had the feel that eventually just one piece of good skill or good fortune would probably win the game!

As it was, a goalless first-half that the visitors on chances at least, just shaded was then followed by an absorbing second that saw Croydon take a late lead with a well worked goal, before for the third match running, City scored a ninety-first minute goal that today earned them a share of the points as once again their dogged resilience shone through.

An odd start to the game saw Croydon not really presenting themselves very well and becoming just about the first team to start slowing the game down and wasting time before the actual kick-off!

When they did eventually deem it a suitable time to join in they actually started the game well and had the best of the opening exchanges. Lauris Chin sliced a shot wide after an early break, while a quick second one earned them a corner from which Georgi Steeds saw his shot go through a crowd but was well blocked by Rob Lawrence right in front of the City goal. They were playing the ball around well and with some confidence but in fairness City were always snapping at them and hounding them meaning the visitors weren’t really making too much progress despite seeing more of the ball.

City were soon into the game though and had a couple of chances to take the lead. Alfie Cragg saw his snap-shot fly well over the bar while a lovely move down the right saw a low ball pinged across the Croydon box reaching Leighton Murray at the far post, but from fairly close in the striker could only sweep his effort also over the bar.

Croydon were also guilty of not making the most of their opportunities. A good run down the right by Ramone Lewis found Uli Fischer, but under pressure he could only bundle the ball wide of the goal at the near post before Steeds with a weaving run down the left opened up City’s defence and also found Fischer, but the slightest of delays in getting his shot off gave Luke Illsley the split second he needed to jump in with a strong block.

At the other end, Connor Coyne swung a shot in from distance hoping to catch visiting keeper Oliver Skibinski off his line, but it cleared the bar, while a lofted effort from Cragg was a comfortable save for the keeper.

Croydon’s Ed Mbango saw his shot beaten down by City keeper Tom Benham before his long clearance right into the visitor’s box had them scrambling about a bit to clear it with the ball not quite falling City’s way while a tidy move down the middle from the hosts saw Coyne lay the ball off nicely to Murray but his dipping effort ended a foot or so just over the bar.  

Croydon then missed two golden opportunities to open the scoring. A break down the left by Fischer saw Benham try to close him down, but he pulled the ball back to Mbango who then inexplicably rolled it well wide of the post when faced with virtually an open goal! Mbango was then guilty of a second glaring miss just a few minutes later when Croydon broke through the middle and found the striker who looked up and took too long to decide where he thought he was going to score before finally picking his spot only to find Benham arms and legs asunder right on top of him and brilliantly scooping the shot to safety.

As the half wound down, Fischer’s weak header went wide for Croydon while a volley struck on the rise by Cragg continued on the up and went over the visitor’s bar. So goalless at the break then, but missed chances at both ends – with Croydon easily the more culpable in missing theirs despite carrying the greater threat.

A busy start to the second-half saw Steeds fire off-target twice for Croydon, while Mo Cham, on as a half-time substitute, saw his first effort saved by Skibinski. Croydon’s woes in front of goal were further exasperated when Jacob Skelly missed steering home from around three yards out after the ball was well whipped in from the right before Steeds then had another shot blocked.

City were responding well to the visitor’s pressure though as Cham had a shot charged down and after a lovely turn in midfield, Harry Sikirwayi fired just over the bar. Illsley had an effort blocked, as did Coyne with a big handball shout in the process waved away by the referee – with Jamie Obianigwe sending the rebound wide.

Still the opportunities to break the deadlock came and went. Neither side made the most of a series of assorted free-kicks, corners and long throws with the defences very much on top of those situations. Benham then made a comfortable save from a distance effort from Croydon, while Cham attempted an ambitious over-head kick without success.

Finally on eighty-two minutes the deadlock was broken and a good goal it was too. Pat McKay was sent cantering down Croydon’s left wing and his lovely cross was perfectly met by Steeds who rose and steered a firm header away from Benham and into the far side of the net for 0-1.

City needed a quick response and Lawrence almost provided it when he tried to catch Skibinski out with a quickly taken free-kick while he was still organising his wall and although the keeper was never getting anywhere near it, unfortunately the ball just drifted wide of the post – a real head in hands moment for City!

With time running short, City dug deep and in an increasingly frantic ending piled forward to try to save the game. Obianigwe’s glancing header just trickled over the bar and on to the roof of the net while Cham saw two shots blocked.

A hand-ball free-kick then came City’s way – centrally placed and just twenty yards out but Lawrence’s firm strike was straight into the wall. The rebound was recycled by City though and a high ball back into the box saw Obianigwe upended when challenging and a penalty awarded. Having missed his last two, you would have been forgiven if you were hiding behind the sofa – if there had been any, as Cham bravely stepped up to take it but no mistake this time as he calmly and confidently stroked the ball home sending Skibinski the wrong way to make the score 1-1 with City’s third consecutive ninety-first minute strike which have now earned them four extra points in their last three games!

With all the big chances that the visitors had wasted, City had now come back to haunt them and they were inches from snatching all the points when after a bit of a scrummaging move in and around the Croydon box, with Leo Dodds heavily involved, the ball was rolled out to Lawrence who hit a first-time strike that flew narrowly over the bar – so close!

That was virtually the last kick of the game which either side could have won or could have lost! The draw keeps Croydon top but a win from Rochester United pops them in above City who slip to third. What will be an eagerly anticipated return fixture is the last game of the season for both these clubs at the Croydon Arena in late April and goodness knows where both sides will be in the table by then and how important just a point each today would have become!