A LATE Ilkeston equaliser prevented Cirencester from stretching their winning Western Division run to eight games.

Brian Hughes side were on course for another away triumph until Paul Hurrell netted a dubious late penalty to earn the hosts a 2-2 draw.

Ilkeston took the lead after 10 minutes when Ciren's defence failed to clear a corner and Paul Eshelby fired home a superb shot from 20 yards.

The visitors went close when Gareth Hopkins beat keeper Darren Horrigan to the ball and managed to stab goalwards but the ball trickled just wide.

Horrigan sustained a leg injury in making the challenge and had to be replaced by Ross Turner, who was soon called into action by saving a Darren Robison free kick.

Hopkins then headed against the bar before levelling on 58 minutes.

Marc Richards' volley was only parried by Turner and Jody Bevan followed up to crash the ball into the net.

Scott Griffin had a penalty shout turned down when he was bundled over in the box but Ciren moved ahead two minutes from time as the home side failed to clear a Robison free-kick and substitute Andy Minturn fired home an unstoppable volley from eight yards.

But just as the Centurions thought they had kept their winning streak intact, the referee adjudged that Phil Stant had been manhandled in the area and Hurrell stepped up to score from 12 yards for a share of the points.

CIRENCESTER: Thompson, Bird, McEntegart, Richards, Mayo, Wotton, Robison, McCabe, Hopkins, Bevan, Fitch.

Subs: Minturn, Griffin, Fraser, Davis, Constable.

The draw sees Ciren slip to eighth in the table, one place behind Marine.

Redditch stay top following their 3-0 win over Mangotsfield.