It was the coldest Saturday of the season so far – three of the eight games in the County League were postponed – but there was plenty to warm the hearts of football fans as second-placed Lebeq United travelled to third-placed Hardwicke.

The two teams were separated only by goal difference at the start of the day and still are after a 2-2 draw.

The game was fast and furious and Lebeq might have scored as early as the sixth minute when a ball cut back from the by-line by Shaquille Hunter was blasted over the bar by Elan Plummer.

Then Cameron Brown tried his luck from 25 yards but that went over the bar as well. At the other end United’s keeper Maciej Jesionowski saved well from a Will Matthews effort. Then Hardwicke keeper Chris Perks saved well at the near post from Hunter.

On 23 minutes a long ball out of United’s defence found Elan Plummer who cut into the centre of the box and let fly with a shot that cannoned off the crossbar, Hunter picked it up but then saw his shot pushed away for a corner by Perks.

In the 27th minute Mohamed Eljadei lost possession to Steve Bick about 30 yards out, the Hardwicke player headed towards the United goal but his final shot failed to beat the keeper.

The 28th minute saw United take the lead after a cracking through ball from Ibrahima Sarr found Elan Plummer unmarked and he fired the ball past Perks.

Within two minutes Hardwicke were level as Rich Mansell’s left-footed curling free-kick to the far post was ushered home by Rob Hine. Hardwicke had another free-kick just on the edge of the box and Mansell was on target, but it was saved by the united keeper.

The home side got off to a dreadful start to the second half finding themselves 2-1 down in the 47th minute after Plummer was brought down in the box, leaving the referee no choice but to award a penalty.

Cameron Brown took the kick and sent Perks the wrong way. Hardwicke were behind for just five minutes when Tobie Webb broke into United’s box – his shot was well saved by Jesionowski but Will Matthews slotted the ball home to level the score once again.

Hardwicke were unlucky when Tobie Webb’s free-kick from the flank almost beat the keeper, but he just managed to push it onto the bar.

Ibrahima Sarr then saw his shot well saved by Perks, while at the other end Jesionowski pulled off a good save to deny a header from Rob Hine.

There were no goals to report between home side Henbury and Broadwell Amateurs. A near miss from a free-kick by Liam Thomas that hit the post was the only effort on goal by the visitors, then just before the break Broadwell’s keeper Jamie Merry brought off a great save to deny Henbury’s George Loud.

The home side had a great chance to score on 50 minutes when Jacob Hicks sent over a cross from the flank, but both George Loud and Dan Dodimead went for the same ball and the chance was wasted.

The home side were down to ten men on 80 minutes when Shaun Heal was dismissed for a second yellow card.

The final chance fell to Kieran Cooper in the 89th minute, when he found himself clear on goal, but took the choice to shoot from 25 yards when he might have got a little closer, and the shot was saved.