A stunning stoppage time double from midfielder Jake Robertshaw saw his Peel side snatch a point from the jaws of defeat against title rivals Corinthians at the weekend.
A smart finish inside five minutes from Luke Murray, along with identical strikes from Sean Doyle and Murray once more looked to have put the game beyond the Westerners reach, but a pair of sublime finishes from Peel’s number 10 were well worthy of a share of the spoils.
First Half
Corinthians started the better of the two sides, and immediately looked to assert their authority on proceedings.
A free-kick just inside the Peel half provided the ideal opportunity for the visitors to capitalise on their height advantage, as the imposing Doyle loomed ominously. The number nine duly headed the ball down for the waiting Murray who, with his back to goal, took a touch and rifled home.
The Whites’ lead very nearly doubled mere moments later, when a corner bobbled through to Doyle inside the six yard box. The striker failed to make a clean connection, though, and saw his chance cannon back off the outside of the post.
The linesman’s raising of the offside flag undoubtedly spared his blushes.
Undeterred the home side burst forward, in search of a swift reply.
A looping cross from the right hand side was missed by Robertshaw in the centre of the box, but Ben Sturgeon was on hand to connect on the half-volley, with his effort flying across the face of goal before nestling in showstopper Matthew Quirk’s bottom left hand corner.
With the game locked at one-a-piece inside ten minutes, play began to open up as both sides found their rhythm.
A silky passing move from Corinthians was flashed over the crossbar, before Peel spurned a chance of their own when an inviting Sturgeon cross fell just beyond the outstretched boot of an arriving striped shirt.
The home side then looked to stretch their legs. A Robertshaw corner was fired over, before a pinpoint ball in behind found the lively Sturgeon, who was narrowly off target.
The Ballafletcher side responded in kind, peppering their opponents box with a barrage of crosses. Doyle almost prodded his team in front, putting his shot just wide of the woodwork, before Murray’s looping header landed on the roof of Peel’s net.
Despite a late flurry of end-to-end action, the referee’s whistle blew with the scores still level.
Half-time: Peel 1-1 Corinthians.
Second Half
The hosts began the second half brightly; Robertshaw looked to put his side on the front foot almost immediately, but his speculative effort was comfortably gathered by Quirk.
From there, though, Corinthians’ quality began to shine through. A slew of chances fell for the Whites, but some last gasp defending kept the scores even.
A lightning quick reaction save from Owen Dawson to deny Murray’s venomous strike, before rushing out to palm away Doyle’s close-range attempt made for the highlight of Peel’s defensive work.
A wayward free kick from the Westerners set Doyle free on the counter-attack, and despite being hassled by a Peel defender, slotted coolly past Dawson to hand his side the advantage just after the hour mark.
Now full of confidence, the visitors went for the jugular. A rapid sequence of passes saw the ever-dangerous Doyle released down the left hand side, electing to play in his fellow goalscorer Murray, who duly dispatched beyond the onrushing Dawson.
With merely 10 minutes to play, the lead looked insurmountable for Peel, who’d been lacklustre since going behind, but the hosts rallied regardless.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Robertshaw picked up possession on halfway, and surged goalward. Surrounded by white shirts, the midfielder burst free on the edge of the 18-yard box, setting the ball for his favoured right foot, before curling a stunning strike beyond the diving Quirk and into the top corner
Not content with a consolation goal, the westerners went in search of a winner.
The ball was lumped forward, before being taken down by skipper Matty Woods who immediately picked out Robertshaw ghosting in at the back post. At full stretch, he lifted the ball over a back-pedalling Quirk, whose flailing arm could do nothing to stop the ball dropping in to the back of the net.
Peel saw out what little time remained of the contest, amid pandemonium from the home faithful, to secure a vital point in the title race. Corinthians, on the other hand, can take comfort in the fact that they’ll survive another weekend at the top of the Canada Life Premier league.
Full-time: Peel 3-3 Corinthians.