Dereham left Essex with a point – but missed several good opportunities to come home with all three.

The Magpies made an ideal start when Danny Beaumont gave them a fifth-minute lead. Home defender Danny Cossington failed to intercept Aaron Kay's long ball down the middle and that presented Beaumont with the opportunity to pounce and slot home from 15 yards.

But Burnham responded by winning two corners before quickly drawing level. Magpies keeper Matt Powley could only palm Ricky Evans' deep ball behind him, allowing Neil Richmond to net with an acrobatic overhead kick in the 13th minute.

Play became broken and scrappy, with neither keeper troubled. Shaun Bammant tested the home defence with two crosses from the left, but both were cleared.

Sam Borrer put Beaumont away on the left, but his 20-yard effort swerved well wide. As the half ended Richmond went close with a second overhead kick before Luke Tuttle had a well-struck low drive cleared off the line.

Dereham should have scored in the 68th minute when Bammant headed Beaumont's inviting ball over from point-blank range.

Richmond then also missed a great opportunity for Burnham, somehow managing to head Evans' centre wide from six yards out as the game remained open.

With little over 10 minutes left, Bammant made a fine run down the left before teeing up Beaumont who blazed the ball onto the bar when well placed and Dereham's frustrating day continued when Craig Bussens failed to finish another Bammant centre.