Bromsgrove Sporting left it late to secure all three points on Saturday afternoon, as Luke Edwards scored the winner deep into injury time in their 2-1 win over Heath Hayes.
The defender managed to get to the ball as it floated around the box and prod home five minutes into added time to ensure scenes of pandemonium from the Sporting fans.
The Rouslers were left shellshocked early on in the game, as Ryan Burns opened the scoring with an audacious effort from distance.
Sporting had chances to get the equaliser inside the first half but would have to wait until the 42nd minute, as the talismanic Jason Cowley headed in from close range.
The second period was dominated by Bromsgrove but it was far from a vintage display from Paul Smith’s men, despite Edwards’ winner being deserved.
Bromsgrove appeared to be carrying an FA Vase hangover following their Buckland heroics on the Sunday previous, as they struggled to make a lively start to the game.
This showed as Burns seemingly caught Sporting keeper Jonathan Brown unawares with a well taken, curled effort from all of 25 yards out, smashing the top corner.
Chances soon came for Sporting as the half progressed but they lacked a cutting edge in the final third, with Cowley, Sam Wills and the particularly lively Jack Wilson failing to convert opportunities on goal.
The moments leading up to the equaliser saw the home side enjoy a busy spell in front of Mark Wiggins’ goal, as Robbie Bunn saw his effort from just outside the box clip the crossbar before Reece Hewitt had a fine strike from 20 yards fingertipped over the upright.
Wilson had a rasping shot saved well by Wiggins a minute before Cowley’s leveller, which came from an accurate short cross from Hewitt, leaving him with an inviting header which was easily dispatched into the bottom corner.
Bromsgrove could even have grabbed the lead before the interval, with Tom Craine having a drive sent over by Wiggins and Cowley somehow spurning a chance from six yards out, putting his shot wide of the mark.
Sporting were by far the better side in the second half, as Heath Hayes took every opportunity they had to slow the clock down. Bunn had an early chance after the break but his firmly struck effort sailed just over the goal.
Substitute Luke Shorthouse almost got a goal on his return from injury but his header from Wills’ corner clattered the crossbar on the hour mark.
As the minutes ticked by, it slowly appeared as though Heath Hayes’ frustrating tactics of backs to the wall defending and gamesmanship may pay dividends for them and they almost clinched all three points themselves as Kyle Minto’s free kick led to a goalmouth scramble, resulting in a goal kick for Sporting.
Sporting pushed for the winner but continued to fall short, with late substitute Andy Nicol rifling a pile driver of a volley narrowly over the bar before fellow replacement Ahmed Ali had a header clearer off the line, with captain Craig Jones seeing his rebound saved by Wiggins.
The referee totted up the stoppages in play and came to a figure of five minutes to add on after the ninety and it was the last of these minutes that would prove vital, as Shorthouse headed Daniel Morris’ throw in towards a melee of bodies in the area, with the unlikely source of Edwards hitting home from close range to leave the Shed End faithful in an ecstatic mood at the death.
With little more than a kick off for Heath Hayes to take, the referee blew for full time, ending a game that saw Sporting’s unbeaten run in the league extended to 24 matches.
