A wonderful freekick from Andre Hassanally gave Maldon & Tiptree a share of the points against Grays on Bank Holiday Monday at Park Drive.

Maldon & Tiptree 1 - Grays Athletic 1

The Jammers made three changes from the side that lost to Lowestoft on Saturday - two of which were enforced. Michael Finneran and George Smith were both absent after picking up knocks in Suffolk while Chris Gregan came in at left back for Guy Norton. 

With both sides still looking for their first win of the season, the game got off to a slow start, but with nine minutes played, the hosts nearly took the lead when Sam Ayoola had a header cleared off the line having latched onto a corner swung deep into the back post.

Grays' first real chance of the afternoon was nearly gift wrapped by Maldon. A giveaway in the Jammers' penalty area presented Romaric Logon with a one on one with Tom Middlehurst. However, as he's done so often this season already, the Maldon goalkeeper produced a great save but the Assistant had his flag up to spare Logon's blushes.

After a couple of long range Grays efforts that - like me at karaoke night - cleared the bar, the visitors were nearly let in again on the half hour mark when Lewis Jaggs mistimed his jump for a header, allowing Chidubem Onokwai to race clear. Jaggs did the only thing he could do and fouled the Grays man at the expense of a freekick and a booking. 

From the resulting set piece, former Jammers man Rob Clark squared the ball to David Knight, but his shot was blocked and the home side had survived a major scare.

That jolted Maldon into life and after mounting some pressure of their own, a lovely switch of play from Alex Moss over to Alex Clark on the right gave the latter the chance to cut in and get a left footed shot away, only to be denied by a stunning save from Danny Sambridge. Grays' answer to Yann Sommer was at full stretch to push the ball out of his top right corner.

On the stroke of half-time, Maldon should've taken the lead. A ball into the box from Willis was neatly bought under control by Ayoola. He couldn't fend off the attention of the Grays defender and get a shot away, but managed to lay it off for Terrell Egbri who blazed the ball over, narrowly missing a sunbathing couple on the Prom.

Half time came and although both sides had had decent looks at goal, the game was goalless.

Middlehurst was called into action right at the start of the second half, shovelling behind an effort from Onokwai after a swift counter attack from a Maldon corner.

Ten minutes after the restart, the away side took the lead when Troy Osei-Bobie headed home a Rob Clark freekick to put Grays 1-0 up.

Some superb defending from Jammers' right Billy Willis denied Grays twice in a matter of moments with 15 left to play. Firstly a ball in from Aron Gordon was taken off the toes of David Knight by the Maldon man and when Gordon tried to repeat the trick seconds later, Willis was there again, this time heading off the line.

Those interventions proved crucial with five minutes left on the clock. Maldon were given a freekick about 20 yards out from goal after Hassanally was adjudged to have been fouled. It was one of those "you've seen them given, Clive" decisions.

Undeterred, it was Andre himself who dispatched the ball into Sambridge's top right corner with the aid of a deflection to the delight of the Jammers' faithful.

Both sides still had chances to snatch the win. Terrell definitely owes Tom a drink if he hasn't already bought him one. It was Egbri who presented a chance to Grays, giving the ball away in the penalty box but Middlehurst was there to deny yet another one on one.

It was a busy end to the game for Egbri and at the right end, he might have won the game for Maldon, shooting just over from long range following good work from Remi driving in and laying the ball off.

At full time, both sides might've felt they could've walked away with a win, but a draw was probably deserved. Next up for the Jammers is a trip to Biggleswade in the FA Cup on Sunday which will make a nice change from watching Countryfile.

Before the match, the Jammers Fans Association (JFA) held a collection for the local foodbank. Donations were collected on behalf of Maldon Food Pantry.

WATCH what JFA Chairman Tony Williams had to say about it: