Thurlow Nunn Premier Stowmarket Town 1 Histon 1 Josh Mayhew scored from the spot to earn Stowmarket Town a share of the points against league leaders Histon at Greens Meadow, writes Alex Moss.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ed Rolph celebrates giving Histon the lead at Stowmarket Town. Picture: PAUL VOLLEREd Rolph celebrates giving Histon the lead at Stowmarket Town. Picture: PAUL VOLLER (Image: Archant)

The top two sides in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division table faced off with only two points between them and, after Mayhew’s second-half penalty cancelled out Ed Rolph’s opener for the visitors, the two title rivals could not be separated.

On a wet afternoon at Greens Meadow, it was Stow who had the early chances to score, as Max Melanson had an effort saved by Sam Roach, the Histon goalkeeper, and Ollie Canfer saw a header blocked inside the opening 10 minutes.

At the other end, Rolph, the leading goalscorer in the Premier Division with 11 goals, threatened to add to his tally on 16 minutes, as he met Danny Gould’s cross in the home box.

Rolph would eventually break the deadlock on the half-hour mark, after a long ball forward from the Histon defence was contested by the Histon striker and Sam Nunn.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ollie Brown's shot is handled by Histon's Matt Green (arms in air) to concede a penalty. Picture: PAUL VOLLEROllie Brown's shot is handled by Histon's Matt Green (arms in air) to concede a penalty. Picture: PAUL VOLLER (Image: Archant)

The Stow defender got to the ball first, but his attempted clearance fell kindly for Rolph who then made no mistake in front of goal.

Nunn looked to atone for his error at the other end, when a corner was played short and found Angelo Harrop, making his first start of the season, on the edge of the box. Harrop’s cross to the far post was too high for Nunn and Stow went into the interval trailing to Rolph’s strike.

The Old Gold and Blacks came back out after the break on the front foot, with Luke Read heading wide from a Melanson corner, before Stow were handed a golden chance to equalise moments later.

Ollie Brown’s shot was blocked by Matt Green in the Histon box, with the referee deeming the midfielder to have kept the effort out with his hand and pointed to the spot.

East Anglian Daily Times: Josh Mayhew celebrates his equaliser for Stowmarket in their home draw with Histon. Picture: PAUL VOLLERJosh Mayhew celebrates his equaliser for Stowmarket in their home draw with Histon. Picture: PAUL VOLLER (Image: Archant)

Mayhew stepped up and sent the spot kick into the corner, despite Roach getting a hand to it, to reach double figures for the season and get the hosts back on level terms.

The goal lifted Stow’s confidence and, with just under 30 minutes still to play, they went in search of a winner. Mayhew had a shot deflected wide for a corner and Nunn’s header from the resultant set piece was saved, before Canfer’s header was blocked short of the line in the final minute.