Both teams came into this Reeves Independent Northern Alliance First Division clash on Saturday in poor form with the hosts looking to avoid a tenth defeat in a row in all competitions while the visitors had lost nine of their previous ten games.

In a match played under the lights on the 4G pitch at the town's Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham started on the front foot.

Inside the first eight minutes, a long clearance from keeper Cameron Armstrong was flicked on to the edge of the box for James McIntyre who sent a lobbed effort wide of the right-hand post, and a great delivery from a corner on the right was headed wide by an unmarked Lewis Loughhead.

Their early pressure was rewarded with the opening goal in the 13th minute. The experienced Tom Hacking, who was making a belated first appearance of the season, sliced open the visitors' defence with a perfectly weighted through ball delivered from his own half which found striker Scott Hulse who turned his man and drove into the box before beating keeper Jamie Bumby at the near post with a crisp, low finish (1-0).

Retaining possession well, they came again from the re-start with Hulse's firmly struck low cross palmed away by Bumby at full stretch, and Loughhead then fired a long range effort over the bar.

Armstrong was a virtual spectator in the home goal as the chances kept coming at the other end. A long ball from Hacking was brought under control by centre forward George Brady who immediately spread it wide right to Hulse, and he then cut inside before having an angled shot well saved by Bumby.

Moments later, Brady's shot from 20 yards was fumbled by Bumby before being gathered safely at the second attempt just ahead of Loughhead and then, from a corner, Loughead guided a free header narrowly wide of the left-hand post when he should have hit the target.

After making such a bright start, Hexham were hit with a sucker punch when Forest Hall Celtic equalised in the 34th minute direct from a free-kick awarded when centre forward Oliver Hall was brought down 25 yards out. Michael Tams stepped up to curl an exquisite left-footed effort with pinpoint accuracy over the end of the wall and inside the near post that Armstrong could do nothing about (1-1).

Following that setback, the hosts were soon back in the ascendancy. A slick move involving Brady, Brad Rowell and Hulse ended when Hulse appeared to be brought down in the box but referee Scott Pilley waved play on and, soon after, the ball broke kindly for Hulse on the six-yard line but his weak effort was deflected behind for a corner.

At the other end, Armstrong's only meaningful action in the closing minutes of the half was a comfortable save from Joshua Williams' 30-yard free-kick.

It was one-way traffic towards the visitors' goal after the break with the lively Brady twice coming close. An angled shot from the left was saved by Bumby and, after receiving a square ball from Hulse in the box, he had a firm strike acrobatically tipped over the bar.

Andrew Donkin then fired one too high, Hulse's free-kick was cleared by Bumby's boot, Rowell's low drive was kept out by the keeper at full stretch, and an unmarked Loughhead got on the end of a cross to the back post but headed wide again.

The pressure was unrelenting at this stage as Bumby blocked another close range effort and tipped a deep cross over the bar with the resulting corner headed wide of the far post by unmarked full back Callum Moore.

James Westwood had only just replaced Forest Hall Celtic centre half Adam Tierney when he fired a speculative 35-yard strike inches over Armstrong's bar and, on the balance of play, the visitors probably couldn't believe their luck when they took the lead in the 59th minute.

Breaking forward at pace from their own half, the final ball was fed left to 18-year-old winger Stephen Tait who fired low on the angle from the edge of the box and it flew under the diving Armstrong into the net (1-2).

Their joy was short-lived as the hosts were back on level terms within a couple of minutes of the re-start. One of Moore's trademark long throws from the left was allowed to bounce in the six-yard box and the experienced Michael Heckles was on hand to nod it over Bumby into the roof of the net (2-2).

Hexham then missed a golden opportunity to go back in front when Brady's 65th minute penalty, awarded after Hulse was pulled down in the box by a defender, was saved by Bumby diving low to his right.

From the resulting corner, a header hit the bar and the rebound was cleared off the line in yet another let-off for the visitors.

A rare Forest Hall Celtic counter-attack saw substitute Kieron Liddle and striker Thomas Wilson link up well with the latter's cross to the back post headed over by winger Lucas Linden.

At the other end, Moore's long throws continued to cause problems. Loughhead got on the end of one launched into the box on 76 minutes only to see his header brilliantly tipped on to the bar and the resulting corner came to nothing.

Capping a man of the match display, 19-year-old Bumby turned another shot around the post and was then relieved to see Hulse fire wide of the far post after being put clean through.

As full-time approached, a long range Williams strike was gathered by Armstrong at the second attempt, Hall's firmly struck effort was saved by the Hexham keeper and, after the ball was only half-cleared to the edge of the box, full back Patrick Mallen's shot flew narrowly wide of the angle of post and bar.

Both sides continued to press for a winner but failed to create any clear-cut chances in five minutes of stoppage time.

Hexham manager Colin Simpson was pleased with his side's performance following a string of poor results since mid-September but must still be wondering how they failed to convert multiple gilt-edged opportunities in the box.

Wallington and Prudhoe YC Seniors were the other local teams in action on another Saturday blighted by waterlogged pitches.

Wallington consolidated their place at the top of the Bay Plastics Northern Alliance Premier Division with a 2-1 win against West Moor & Jesmond AFC. Jordan Nellis equalised from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time and Jack Palmer scored the winner in the 70th minute.

In Ebac Northern League Division Two, goals from Matt Law and Fin Baty put Prudhoe YC Seniors 2-1 up at Sunderland West End but a much-needed win for Mark McMeekin's side was denied by Jay McLean's 87th minute equaliser.