Football Fakenham 1 Ely City 1

Improving Ely City battled back to earn a point at promotion hopefuls Fakenham, on Saturday.

Josh Sewell netted for the Robins in the minutes before half-time to cancel out Ashley’s Jarvis’s opener for the hosts.

Ely rode their luck at times but might even have come away with all three points in injury time only for Max-Lois Maguire to be denied by goalkeeper Tommy Rix.

The point sees Brady Stone’s side open up a one-point gap between themselves and bottom side Diss Town as they begin the long push to safety.

On-loan Histon youngster Aysa Ourtilbour was at the hub of most of the attacking play for Ely early on and he had the Robins’ first chance of the match, dragging a shot wide of the post.

Ely goalkeeper Craig Galbraith did well to beat away a shot from Dion Frary before clearing a header off the line from the resulting corner.

The hosts managed to get their noses in front, however, shortly after the 30-minute mark as Jarvis headed home from a corner.

A powerful header crashed off the Ely crossbar before they managed to pull level, in the 40th minute, with Ourtilbour’s cross finished by Sewell from close range.

The Robins might have taken the lead early in the second half but Luke Brown was denied by Rix when through on goal.

Galbraith did well to gather a well-hit shot from Ricky Claxton as the match entered its dying moments, before Maguire was denied by Rix.

Ely are in action again on Saturday, as they host in-form Godmanchester Rovers at the Unwin Ground. Kick off is 3pm.