NPL Division One East
Ossett United 2-1 Stockton Town
James Walshaw sparked pandemonium with the 93rd minute winner as in-form Ossett United scored in the first and last minute to slay North East giants Stockton Town at a packed Ingfield.
The perennial hero put the finishing touch to a sublime counter-attack to propel Ossett up to second in the table on a memorable night.
Wayne Benn and his management team and substitutes sprinted onto the field to celebrate and the noise decimals raised the main stand roof.
The scenes were hardly surprising given Ossett thought they had thrown away the deserved three points several minutes after Stockton had scored a fairly unwarranted equaliser.
A draw would have been a travesty as Ossett had led for so long as well – and comfortably.
The Ingfielders had raced out of the traps inside the opening 60 seconds.
A good move down the right saw Walshaw lay off the impressive on-loan York City striker Reon Potts who rifled a terrific effort down the middle of the goal from 18 yards.
Potts would later go close again the first half for Ossett, who defended extremely well to defy Stockton who main threats in the opening stanza were from crosses.
Stockton posed the odd question for Ossett as the second half wore on but on a whole Benn’s men were comfortable.
Maybe they should have killed the game by adding a second goal.
Substitute George Green went close with a shot from distance towards an open goal after Stockton’s goalkeeper Callum Roberts found himself stranded.
Against the run of play and with just a few minutes left, Stockton snatched an equaliser.
Tom Portos flicked a header on and the unmarked substitute Sam Conway buried the ball past Max Dearnley.
That was the signal for a frantic and end-to-end finale.
Stockton probed at least twice and so did Ossett and the roar was electric when the home side did march through to grab all three points.
Benn’s teams for years and known for their pace and energy and this moment of glory had those characteristics.
Ossett had Stockton on the ropes with a three versus two situation as Aaron Haswell made the burst.
Haswell played his pass just as he was wiped out by a desperate and last-ditch wild challenge.
Prince Attakorah ran onto it to bear down on Roberts.
The low shot was saved but fortunately Walshaw was in the right place at the right time to tap home on the line and grab the headlines.
The Teams
Ossett United: Dearnley, Gagen (Attakorah 60), Cowgill, Clark, Hardaker, Connolly (Green 67)), Hogg, Haswell, Hussain, Walshaw, Potts (Chipamunga 73)). Subs unused: Tanser, Teale.
Stockton Town: Roberts, Bulmer (King 84), Henry, Portas, Nicholson (captain), D Mulligan, Roberts (Conway 68), Robinson, Steel, Franks (N Mulligan 68), Hayes. Subs unused: Wright, Hall.
Who Was In Charge
Stephen Rushforth (8/10)
How Many Were There
392
Man of the Match
Reon Potts (Ossett United)
