Hemel Hempstead Town secured a dramatic late draw against Chelmsford City in a National League South encounter at Vauxhall Road on Saturday. The hosts salvaged a point in stoppage time through an own goal by Alfie Marriott, which canceled out Rhys Browne’s earlier strike for the visitors.

Chelmsford, nicknamed the Clarets, appeared to control much of the match following Browne’s opener. The goal came when Mandela Egbo’s well-placed cross found Browne, who converted with precision. The visitors came close to extending their lead shortly after the interval, with Browne narrowly missing from a counter-attack and later having a header comfortably saved.

Hemel Hempstead, known as the Tudors, created several chances but initially struggled to break down the Chelmsford defense. Early efforts included a long-range attempt from David Agbontohoma that struck the roof of the net and a powerful shot from Denzelle Olopade that was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Michael Johnson. The Tudors also squandered a promising three-on-one opportunity in the first half.

As the second half progressed, Hemel Hempstead increased the pressure, with captain Charlie Rowan heading wide amid growing momentum for the hosts. Their persistence paid off late in the match when a set-piece delivery toward goalkeeper Marriott resulted in an unfortunate error. Marriott fumbled the ball, directing it into his own net despite protests from the Chelmsford players.

The 99th-minute own goal sparked jubilation among the home supporters and marked a positive start for Hemel Hempstead’s new manager, Lee Bircham, who oversaw his first match in charge. The 1-1 draw denied Chelmsford a full three points despite their early control of the game.