Despite sitting at the bottom of the Southern League Premier Central at Christmas, and some 15 points from safety, Biggleswade proved to be a tough opponent for Church, who were looking to bounce back after their last gasp defeat against Stratford on Boxing Day.

And it was the struggling home side who took hold of the game in the first period, seemingly out thinking and out fighting Church pretty much throughout as they moved the ball forward and into the Church box quickly and at will.

Church had a couple of early forays when Dylan Allen-Hadley twice jinked into the box, but was foiled, by fair or foul means on both occasions before he could fire off a decisive effort.

On 12 minutes, Omari Sterling-James produced one of his audacious moments when he delivered a ball from deep in the centre circle, but the shot does not quite have enough on it to trouble keeper Berman.

Biggleswade are troubling Church with their set pieces. Quickly taken, and deeply delivered throw ins, and well executed corners are all producing a level of jeopardy in the Church box that the visitors would rather avoid. One such produces a shot on target on 14 minutes by Wilson that Hollingshead is well positioned to deal with, and closer still two minutes later a Biggleswade free kick is headed back across the face of the goal, and then the ball bobbles around before being somehow smuggled away from the goal line, and the escape is completed with the award of a goal kick.

On 19 minutes a snap shot from the home side forces Hollingshead into a finger tip save to deflect the ball over the bar at full stretch.
There is a similar outcome as the half nears its end following a corner, a double header, and another save to tip the ball over the bar.
In the meantime, Church had two half chances of their own - good work from Allen-Hadley sets up Perry for a snap shot that is blocked by Berman at his near post, and a longer range effort from Wakefield when he drives a loose ball on target, but Berman is well positioned to deal with it comfortably.

A scrappy start to the second half sees neither side create anything approaching a clear cut opening. It's end to end but there is little quality in the final, attacking, third.

The scrappy nature of the game almost costs Church on 75 minutes when an almighty scramble in the box needs all the massed ranks of defence to deal with, and then immediately after, on the break Allen-Hadley surges forward and crosses menacingly, only for Barnett to deflect the ball straight at Berman with a stooping header with the back of the net beckoning.

Biggleswade's goal, seven minutes from the end of normal time, was soft in the extreme. A throw in lobbed into the area, a defensive header sends the ball skimming towards the goal, and Izekor stoops to nod the ball into the net from very close range. Simple, effective, and utterly devastating.

There was still time to respond, but it was now about saving the game, not winning it.

The best chance came two minutes into stoppage time after Sweeney drew a foul wide on the left flank. Stretton's delivery into the heart of the crowded box had the desired effect to panic the defence, and as the loose ball squirmed to the feet of Joe Willis he made no mistake in driving the ball in, under keeper Barmen, from eight yards.

It's a point that keeps Church, 18th, out of the bottom four on goal difference, but such is the congested nature of the league, a win would have taken Church up to 13th.