Paulton Rovers 3, Didcot Tn 3

Didcot Town dented Paulton Rovers’ play-off ambitions after splitting six goals with their Somerset hosts in a pulsating Calor League Division 1 South & West encounter on Saturday.

In a dramatic finish, the Railwaymen, who had led 2-0, took a 3-2 lead through Jack Longford, only for the home side to snatch a late equaliser.

In the first half, Paulton’s Mike Perrott had a goal disallowed.

In an end-to end-contest, John Mills eventually put Didcot ahead in the 31st minute.

A raking ball from Josh Dutton-Black allowed Mills to spring the offside trap and his calm placement rendered home keeper Kyle Phillips helpless.

Brandon Barnes rattled the Didcot bar, but the hosts held their lead until the break.

Just afterwards they doubled it. Sam Elkins’s long ball was deftly flicked on by Longford, and Mills notched his 17th goal of the campaign by sweeping the ball home.

The hosts took only seven minutes to pull a goal back as an inch-perfect cross by Nick McCootie allowed Perrott to hammer the ball past keeper James Foster.

It was all Paulton now and their expected equaliser came from a ten-yard strike by Scott Price in the 72nd minute.

Ninety seconds of normal time remained when substitute Pablo Haysham led a Didcot counter attack that culminated in Mills playing in strike partner Longford, who slotted the ball past Phillips.

Didcot thought they had won it.

But in the third minute of injury time, Paulton flung all ten outfield players into the Didcot area at a corner. Luke Ballinger’s delivery was met by Brice’s thumping headed goal which ensured a share of the spoils.

Didcot Tn: Foster, Elkins, Woodley, McKirnan, Carnell, Heapy, Dutton-Black, Baines (L Williams 78), Longford, Mills, Whitehead (Haysham 73). Subs not used: Concannon, McLoughlin.

Attendance: 171.