Kempston started the brighter and had three good early chances within the opening ten minutes. Scott Joseph’s stinging drive testing the reflexes of Jamie Head in the City goal and from the resulting corner Shane Bush’s header forced a fumble from head that Lewis Jones couldn’t capitalise on as he lifted the ball over from close range. James Martin was off his line swiftly to smother danger from Joel Gyasi after he was played in behind the Rovers back line on the quarter hour. The first period then settled down as both sides found a pattern, if not a rhythm. The quality of the rest of the half was perhaps best summed up by two match photographers choosing to capture a red kite soaring above the ground rather than any action on the pitch. Jordan Wright headed wide late in the half when under pressure at a corner before right at the end of the half, Martin punched away an effort from the edge of the box from Bullin. The half ended without any stoppage time, after lots of endeavour from both teams, but very little enterprise.

The second half nearly started with a bang, Martin having to get across goal to keep out a free kick from Davis. Rovers then thought they’d scored when a deep Lewis Jones cross was met at the back post by Shane Bush, but the skipper could only stab wide. Kempston did take the lead twelve minutes into the second half, a break away move saw Scott Joseph laying the ball into the path of the marauding figure of Daniel Akubuine, who slipped the ball neatly under the body of Head at the near post for his first strike in Rovers colours. Cambridge should have levelled the scored five minutes later, Davis crossing in a perfect free kick, but last season’s prolific scorer for City, Ryan Sharman put the chance wide at the far post. Midway through the half, City did score the goal that they had threatened, a cross in from sub Adekunle saw the entire Rovers backline stop and look for offside. Playing to the whistle, Sharman tucked the ball home to the sound of confusion from both sets of fans. The goal was valid and Cambridge were level. As the half wore on, Davis fired wide from range before Sharman headed another chance over the bar. Former Kempston favourite Simpson headed wide from a corner, before, with six minutes left Rovers had a glorious chance to snatch the game. A counter attack saw Joseph cross from wide on the right, sub Hateley Mercer found himself free in the area and composed himself to strike. His effort was scuffed slightly and allowed Patterson to clear off the line. There was no further trouble to either goal as the clock wound down.

The point sees Kempston jump a place to fifteenth in the table ahead of the trip to high-flying Peterborough Sports next weekend, with the trip to Bedford Town on the horizon the week after.

Match photography kindly supplied by Steve Williams and Graham Dear