United boss Tobi hails his sides’ derby draw with Lancers

United looked up against it after Lancers started quickly and raced into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes. But United came more into the game as the half progressed and scored twice in the last four minutes of the first half, and Hutchinson said: “I’m absolutely delighted to get a draw and it’s our best point of the season.

“It was hard earned and we showed a lot of attitude and commitment to come back from 2-0 down.

“We had just 12 players and played the whole of the second half without any subs after Leo Day played 44 minutes with the worst cut I’ve seen in all my time in football and went to the hospital at half-time.

“We tried to hit them on the counter attack in the second half and contain them and it worked as they ran out of ideas, and we had a couple of half-chances right at the end.”

Lancers went ahead after just 10 minutes when Darren Boswell skipped past several challenges down the right and from his cross, Charlie Walker knocked the ball on for Titus Paterson to side-foot home from 12 yards.

Lancing doubled their lead 10 minutes later. Keeper Tony Di Bernardo rolled the ball out to Sam O’Regan and he launched the ball over the static United defence for Charlie Walker to run on to and he coolly lobbed Mavericks keeper Kieron Gillard.

United then started to close down Lancing’s central midfield trio quicker and there were few clear chances at either end until United won a penalty four minutes before the break.

Luis Freitas surged forward down the left and played a one-two with Alex Thompson before he was brought down in the penalty area by Dave Sharman.

Tom Chapman made no mistake from the spot, before United levelled three minutes later when Thompson toe-poked the ball home after George Jones had scooped the ball through.

Lancers’ Adam Hunt had a blistering 20-yarder pushed over by Gillard at the start of an entertaining second half.

Lancing enjoyed the majority of possession but were unable to create any clear opportunities, while United looked lively on the counter-attack.

Lancers’ Graham Martin had a couple of efforts easily saved, before Lancing keeper Di Bernardo was out quickly to clear just before lively United substitute Marcus Robertshaw could get to the ball.

Walker had the best chance to take all three points for Lancing, whose frustrations grew as the half wore on, but he volleyed well over from 15 yards when Martin picked him out on 73 minutes.

With most of the play in the United half, Lancing were nearly caught out with a minute to go when Robertshaw raced on to a long ball down the left and cut in and got away a right-foot shot but it went straight to Di Bernardo.

Lancing joint manager Martin Gander said: “We got what we deserved and we’ve thrown away two points.

“We just switched off for a five-minute spell and it cost us. We’ve got to be focused for 90 minutes and it’s disappointing not to win after being 2-0 up.

“But, it’s a point away from home and we’ve got 44 points from 23 league games, so we’re just two points off averaging two points a game and I can’t be too hard on the lads.”