Wednesfield 2, Stratford Town 3

AN INJURY time winner from Geoff Amos earned Town three crucial points as they bid to stay in touch with the Midland Alliance pacesetters.

It looked like a similar tale of woe was about to unfold when Wednesfield hit back from a two-goal deficit to draw level but the midfielder's last-gasp volley lifted Stratford into sixth place, hot on the heels of the faltering top pair.

With Barwell and Rushall both losing, it was imperative Lennie Derby's side claimed a maximum haul from only their second league game in five weeks.

And it all looked to be going to plan when goals from Paul John and Jon Brant gave the visitors a two-goal cushion with just 15 minutes on the watch.

Derby was again forced to reorganise following the non-appearance of Marcus Hamill but, with Michael Stephenson running the show, Town were soon in the ascendancy.

Playing just behind the front two of Brant and Peter McBean, Stephenson opened up the home rearguard before being fouled in the box. However, the ball ran to Paul John who fired Stratford into a ninth minute lead.

Warren Ayres made a fine stop to deny David Currier before Brant took advantage of a mistake at the opposite end to crack a left-footer into the top corner.

McBean, preferred to top scorer Craig Martin, wasted a good chance to settle the match on the half-hour after more good work from Stephenson but the visitors were again indebted to keeper Ayres who produced a fabulous double save to thwart Darrell Smith.

Brant then missed a golden opportunity to make it 3-0 ten minutes from the break and, with Stephenson at the hub of all Town's attacking moves, it was left to Amos to squander another chance on the stroke of the interval.

McBean twice went close after the restart but more problems from a corner kick resulted in Currier heading Wednesfield back into the game from ten yards after 63 minutes.

Two minutes later, it was all-square as a slip from Steve Rule left substitute Rob Wilson in the clear to make it 2-2.

Currier then quickly turned villain from hero when getting himself needlessly sent off for dissent with 20 minutes still to play.

McBean saw a goalbound drive deflected for a corner and that was the last chance the veteran had of opening his season's account as Martin was brought on for the final 13 minutes.

The replacement saw a left-footer dip narrowly over before Wilson broke clear only to scuff his shot with the goal at his mercy.

Stratford made their hosts pay fully for that miss when Adie Fitzhugh swung over a teasing free kick in stoppage time and Amos was perfectly positioned at the back post to fire in Stratford's winner.

Stratford: Ayres, McGregor, Fitzhugh, Young, Collinson, Rule, Stephenson, Amos, McBean, Brant, John. Subs, Clarke, Martin, Fergusson.