A HIGHLY-controversial equalising goal denied AFC Sudbury victory over league leaders Dartford on Saturday. It came after the home side had recovered from going a goal behind to take the lead before the hotly-disputed effort.

A HIGHLY-controversial equalising goal denied AFC Sudbury victory over league leaders Dartford on Saturday. It came after the home side had recovered from going a goal behind to take the lead before the hotly-disputed effort.

Dartford had taken a 22nd-minute lead with a tame goal. Norman's free kick from the halfway line was headed down in the goalmouth by Guest with keeper Neil watching the ball roll into the corner of the net.

AFC Sudbury equalised with a well-worked goal from a flowing up field move that ended with Heath chipping the ball over the defence for Rowe to crash the ball Kessell. The keeper then dived to save at Boardley's feet, but from the resultant corner he dropped Boardley's corner and Rowe scored with an acrobatic overhead kick.

Then came the controversial goal when Hayes crossed to the far post where Cass and Neil challenged for the ball that looked to have been cleared, but the referee awarded a goal that subsequently was shown not to have crossed the line by Press photography. Both sides had chances to win the game in the second half, Neil saving from Cass and then the same player twice going close with fierce rising shots.

For AFC Sudbury Boardley's in-swinging free-kick almost caught out Kessell and in the last few minutes the keeper dived full-length to punch away a goal-bound shot from Heath.