SALISBURY scored twice in the last three minutes to turn a likely defeat into a crucial Hampshire/Surrey Regional Division 2 win against Old Kingstonian.

Salisbury were trailing 2-1 and facing the prospect of being pushed back into the relegation pack at the bottom of the table.

But late goals by Rory McTaggart and James Hayward turned the game on its head and gave Salisbury a vital victory.

Ironically, Salisbury were in front after ten minutes – OKs being hit on the break as Hayward fed Tom Morton to fire in on the half-volley.

But by half-time Salisbury found themselves 2-1 down.

The turning point of the game came when Morton made a crucial goal-line save from a short corner drag flick.

With three minutes remaining, OKs conceded an unnecessary penalty corner and McTaggart sent the equalising drag flick past the home goalkeeper.

The umpires had checked their watches for the final time when Salisbury grabbed their last gasp winner from Hayward.

The win lifted Salisbury to eighth place in the table, with leaders Basingstoke set to visit Bemerton on Saturday, 1.30pm. Pictures and match reaction in next Thursday’s Journal.

  • Andy Cowling put in a star man performance in Salisbury Striders’ 4-0 win at Petersfield. A 5-1 win at Oxford Bulls the previous week has contributed to them cementing second position in Wessex Masters Division 1.

LADIES HOCKEY 

SALISBURY stay nine points clear at the top of West of England Women’s League Premier Division 2A despite a second defeat of the season.

The 4-2 defeat came at Swindon and captain Kate Behan, pictured, is urging her side to get back to winning ways when City of Bath visit on Saturday at 11.30am, writes Mike Vimpany.

Salisbury were without leading scorer Kerry McCollum and the speedy Sarah Dunn at Swindon, where they found themselves 2-0 down in 20 minutes with Jenna Whittle in the sin-bin.

Whittle was released from her shackles and back on the pitch in time to convert a penalty corner before halftime.

Unfortunately, Salisbury’s performance didn’t get any better in the second half and ten minutes into the period they were 3-1 adrift.

Play was halted when a Swindon defender was taken to hospital with a nasty head wound after being struck by one of Behan’s rocket shots.

As the rain lashed down, Salisbury got another foothold in the game through Lisa Lovett, but it proved a false dawn as Swindon made it 4-2 five minutes from time.