Stow extend unbeaten league run to 30 but are held by Whitton

Stowmarket Town striker Matt Blake, in action during Saturday's 1-1 home draw against Whitton United. Picture: HOGAN COBBOLD (Image: Archant)

Stowmarket Town stretched their unbeaten league run to 30 games, although they were held to a 1-1 draw by in-form Whitton United at Greens Meadow.

Seb Dunbar fired the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division leaders in front in the final minutes of the first half, before Jacob Lay equalised for Whitton in the 84th minute to ensure the points were shared between the two Suffolk sides.

Rick Andrews' men remain unbeaten in the leaguue this campaign, but Stow's advantage at the top of the Premier Division has been cut to 15 points, as second-placed Norwich United ran out 4-1 winners against Ely City.

The Old Gold and Blacks made an encouraging start in front of another big crowd of 300 at Greens Meadow, with striker Matt Blake having three chances at goal all inside the opening 10 minutes.

Blake headed wide from a Dominic Docherty cross, then stabbed wide from an inviting opportunity after Whitton keeper Lewis Higgins' attempted clearance had hit his team-mate and fell kindly for the Stow player.

The last of those trio of chances saw Higgins keep out Blake's effort, while at the other end James Bradbrook made a fine save to deny the visitors the first breakthrough, stopping an effort which came from a corner.

Stow opened the scoring on 41 minutes. Left-back Dunbar continued his run and was in the right place to finish from close range for his third goal of the season, and first since October.

A quieter second half for the hosts saw Whitton grow stronger and an equaliser for Shane Coldron's side materialised six minutes from time. Lay capped an impressive showing for the Greens by cutting inside and curling the ball into the top corner, beyond the dive of Bradbrook.

So the points were shared, which extended Whitton's own unbeaten league run to 11 games, while Stow's streak without a defeat in the Premier Division hit the 30-game mark. They are now seven short of Wisbech Town's Thurlow Nunn League record of 37 games, set back in the 1980s.