Dereham had to settle for a share of the points after an ill-tempered 1-1 home draw with Hullbridge Sports.

The visitors went ahead in controversial fashion early in the second half, but skipper David Hinton grabbed an equaliser with 16 minutes left.

It was the visitors who had the first chance in the ninth minute when Hinton lost possession on the edge of his box to Matthew Baxter who hit a fierce drive onto keeper Elliot Pride's post. Hullbridge's Joseph Wright did well to get a cross in from the right which reached Jamie Salmon 30 yards out but he fired wide.

Hinton set up Adam Hipperson on the right-hand side of the box; he moved inside before striking a left-footer that stayed wide.

The Magpies won a free-kick in an advanced position on the right. Rhys Logan sat the ball up nicely in the danger area which enabled Matt Castellan to rise well and head over the top. As they threatened again Charlie Dickerson's cross from the left pressurised the visitors' defence. Hullbridge struck the woodwork again when Yemi Adelani latched onto a long through ball before lobbing onto the top of the bar in the 40th minute.

After the restart Logan curled a 20-yarder into visiting keeper Lewis Greene's arms.

Then came the controversy as Hullbridge won a corner on the left. The ball was flicked on to Salmon who clearly pushed his man before heading home in the 51st minute. The linesman flagged for the offence but the referee allowed the goal to stand.

Dereham scored a deserved equaliser in the 74th minute. Hipperson pulled the ball back from the left byline and after a frantic scramble Hinton slammed the loose ball home.

Dereham: Pride, Frary, Dickerson, Linford (Crisp 68), Matthews, Castellan, Logan, Smith, Hilliard, Hinton, Hipperson. Subs not used: McQuaid, Wones, Murphy, Snapkaskaus.

Hullbridge: Greene, Knock, Rose, Dunn, Gumbs (Allen 45), Baxter (Hornsley 70), Okunjai, Adelani (Monsheju 80), Sotoyinbo, Wright, Salmon. Subs not used: Coe, Hornsley, Rowland.

Ref: L Hartley. Att: 189.