ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE: Basildon United were good value for a point against fourth-placed Enfield 1893 in a game in which both sides finished with 10 men.

Bees took a 17th-minute lead when Morton Agard coolly side-footed Mike Edgar’s cute cut-back into the roof of the net.

And they dominated for most of the half and looked on course for their first league win at home this season.

But they went in all square at the break after conceding a soft goal to Micheal Benjamin late in the half as he tapped into an empty net from Matt Hodges’ low centre across the six-yard box.

An incident-packed second half saw Enfield full-back Dean Bohou and Basildon midfielder Vinny Murphy both sent off for two yellows apiece.

Bohou’s second yellow on 54 minutes was for charging down a free-kick on the edge of his box, and Murphy’s for an innocuous-looking challenge on Benjamin a minute from time.

And it somehow remained goalless in a second half which included a fine 59th-minute penalty save from home keeper Mason Durrell.

He dived low to his left to deny visiting skipper John Bricknell from 12 yards after the officials had spotted a shove in the box.

Basildon manager Chris Wood felt the game had been spoiled by whistle-happy referee Cajetan Anyanwu, but said he was happy with a point.

“We were much better than them in the first-half and we should have made that count,” he said.

“We should have really taken more advantage when they went down to 10 men, but we did not really move the ball quick enough.

“And that is what happens with bottom-of-the-table teams because players do not have the confidence to go and flood the box because they are too worried about what’s going to happen at the other end.

“But it is another welcome point and we are starting to get it together now, and the fact that my team is so disappointed to get a point against them is a good sign.

“There have been some good signs in our last last few games and if we keep that up I’m sure we won’t finish the season at the bottom of the table.”