Chichester City claim creditable point at second-placed Aveley

City started with Cambridge loanee Jaspar Briggs between the sticks behind centre-backs Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley with skipper Rob Hutchings and fit-again Ryan Davidson the full-backs.

Emmett Dunn was in the middle of the park alongside Joe Clarke, with Isaac Bello and Djemaili providing width. Miles Obodo returned to the XI partnering Wild up top.

Chi, 22 points behind Aveley before kick off, might have taken the lead 120 seconds in but Wild was somehow denied and the hosts oddly given a goal kick.

Dunn teed Obodo up for a shot which was blocked before Toby Aromoralan fed Jesse Nwabueze, but he fired wide. Another from Harry Critchley was off-target and Da Costa made a telling tackle to snuff out a home side attack.

Pashley’s forward pass was headed back to Rylee Mitchell in the Millers’ goal without any problem and then Chris Harris was flagged offside.

Djemaili pulled the ball wide on 11 and a decent run by Bello opened things up but it went out for a goal kick.

Hutchings was fouled for a Chi set piece before former Braintree player Fletcher Hubbard outdid Clarke a couple of times and put the Essex outfit in front with an exquisite finish.

The visitors had increasing pressure to cope with for a while.

Dunn was fouled on the half hour by George Wind who got a talking-to. A lovely Lillywhites’ counter was broken up and Mitchell cleared before Wild was adjudged offside.

Obodo won Chi their first corner on 36. Hutchings delivered it only for Clarke to blast over, Then Obodo tugged Hubbard’s shirt and conceded a free-kick which Briggs collected before Aveley captain Ryan Henshaw fired high and wide.

City equalised after a super move down the right. Davidson passed to Djemaili, who took a nice touch and tucked it away clinically. He might have added a second a minute later – but Wild did make it 2-1 in stoppage time with a neat finish.

Critchley had to be replaced after suffering a nasty injury. On the stroke of half time Harris dragged a shot wide when it seemed easier to score.

The hosts brought on Anthony Church and George Saunders after the interval.

Briggs saved a couple of efforts by Hubbard, while Obodo’s hit was no problem for Briggs’ counterpart.

Chi stopped a shot on the line and Briggs diverted the follow-up for the first of a catalogue of corners as the Millers pressed.

Bello’s delivery was too high for Davidson and Pashley’s pass couldn’t pick his skipper marauding down the left.

A free-kick off the training ground might have caught Chi out but Bello tidied up. Hubbard couldn’t dink it past Briggs on the hour and the custodian blocked Ollie Peters’ effort.

Briggs was booked for time-wasting as the game swung this way and that.

Rowlatt replaced the hard-working Djemaili and Henshaw was cautioned for wiping out Bello. Wild should have netted but mishit Hutchings’ free kick in the last 10 and Bello’s pass to an onside Wild was misdirected.

Saunders cracked a shot against the stanchion as four minutes of additional time were signalled. And when Hubbard bought a free kick off Rowlatt, Matt Johnson bundled the ball into the back of the net in the 92nd minute – with Pashley seemingly poleaxed – to make it 2-2.

There was still time for Dunn to try to nick it at the death but he dragged his effort wide.

The trip to Aveley came just two days after City went to Billericay and lost 1-0. City battled well but were undone by a goal from Frankie Merrifield as the game entered its final 10 minutes.

They’re back at home this Saturday, when Canvey Island visit Oaklands Park.