Lamming had the difficult task of selecting the positions of a team mostly filled with defenders, but opted to start the game in a 4-4-2 formation. Burchnall moved out onto the right of midfield for Will Carter who started up front to make his first appearance of the season since returning to the club. This was not the only new player in the side, with under 18s captain Tom Watson making his senior debut for the club also out of his favoured position on the left flank.

The opening half saw a very scrappy affair with both sides battling hard in the middle of the park to regain possession, and to Town's credit they appeared to be winning that battle with Lee Wilson and James Blondel giving the opposition no time to play and go forward.

However Town were first to concede once again, when the Rustons striker Ash Woodhall timed his run to perfection and rolled the ball past the oncoming Liam Smith. The home side had a few half chances but were struggling to create anything clean cut.

With that in mind, Town changed to a previously tested 4-3-3 formation. Lewis Burchnall joined Carter and Baxter up front and Watson made up the three man midfield. It didn't take long for Town to put the pressure on and began to ask a lot more questions of the Rustons defence.

The first opportunity of the half saw a Daryl Dunn cross headed just over the bar by the teams top scorer Jack Baxter who should have really done better. Town really began to force the issue and the equaliser seemed inevitable. The home side won corner after corner but the brilliant crosses from Wilson weren't being met by a tall Town side.

Finally the equaliser came with 20 minutes to go when a Lewis Burchnall shot was diverted into the back of the net by James Blondel from 2 yards out.

Horncastle remained on top and their best chance to win the game came to Lee Wilson who's run beat the offside trap leaving him one on one with the Rustons 'keeper, but his effort with the outside of his right foot skimmed the far past just and rolled just wide.

But the final chance of the match went to the visitors whos cross from wide was struck by a Rustons player but blocked by a town defender. But the rebound fell straight into the path of another Rustons player who smashed the ball towards the goal. From just five yards out his eyes lit up but out of nowhere the Town inspired keeping from Liam Smith saw him dive and somehow pushed the ball over the bar to keep the game level and save Town from losing it right at the death.

In the end Town were happy to gain a point but still felt their second half performance deserved all three. Town's next game sees them travel to Middle Rasen in Round One of the David Cooper cup.

Team: Smith, Low, Enderby, Porter, Dunn, Watson, Wilson, Blondel, Burchnall, Carter, Baxter.