STOURPORT Swifts were denied an unlikely Dr Martens League Western Division victory on Tuesday with a brace of second-half Halesowen Town penalties.
And worse was to follow for a makeshift Swifts when Town substitute Gary Smith snatched a 3-2 victory for the visitors in the final seconds.
Injuries and suspensions meant Stourport were forced to call back four players from loan and dragged another - experienced defender Nigel Laker - out of retirement.
It came as no surprise when the visitors opened the stronger and Alfie Carter had a number of chances to open the scoring.
But Carter was denied by Swifts keeper Adrian Hipkins before missing the target on three other occasions.
It was Swifts who finally broke the deadlock with their first attack of the game.
Tim Langford fed Matt Southwick on the right and when his shot was fumbled by keeper Tim Clarke, Lea Shaw forced home the rebound.
Lee Booth was denied by a good save on 43 minutes but Swifts added a second on the stroke of half-time when Steve Ulfig's glancing header from a Southwick cross crept past keeper Clarke at the foot of the post.
Ulfig volleyed an effort over from eight yards early in the second period before Town were thrown a lifeline on 68 minutes.
Ross Collins was bundled over by Quentin Townsend and Jason Burnham blasted home the spot-kick.
Seven minutes later, Burnham drilled in his second penalty after Southwick was adjudged to have tripped Mark Taylor.
A brave save by Hipkins kept out Kerry Giddings on 83 minutes only for Smith to scramble the winner in the dying seconds after the Swifts defence failed to clear a corner.
SWIFTS: Hipkins 6, Ulfig 7, Laker 6, Townsend 6, Mulders 8, Shaw 6 (Davies 76), Southwick 7, Langford 6 (Cooper 80), Marsh 5, Booth 6, Nicholls 6 (Hart 66, 5).
STAR MAN: Jan Mulders.
Manager-less Stourport Swifts went down to an injury-time goal as Atherstone United took the spoils 2-1 in the Western Division.
A draw looked to be on the cards until Kevin Charley sent a shot past Swifts goalkeeper Derek Dudley in the sixth minute of injury time.
It was a cruel blow for Dudley and his defence as they kept the Adders at bay with some fine saves and solid tackles.
With 13 minutes gone, Dudley palmed away an Andy Marlowe effort and he then kept Swifts in the game with saves to deny Leon Doughty and Marlowe.
But there was little he could do to stop Charley's winner following good work from Romi Cammock.
Chances had been few and far between during a dour opening half.
Stourport's best effort came on 25 minutes when Adam Nicholls collected a Lea Shaw pass and skipped past two defenders only to shoot wide.
Atherstone's opener five minutes into the second half was an excellent strike from Cammock who lifted the ball over defender Quentin Townsend before thundering a shot into the net.
But Swifts were back on level terms just five minutes later when Shaw's cross was headed home by Simon Marsh.
Lee Booth forced a good save from home keeper Dale Belford moments later but it was the Adders who finished the stronger, culminating in their last-gasp winner.
SWIFTS: Dudley 7, Hackett 5, Charlton 6, Townsend 5 (Langford 52, 6), Mulders 8, Shaw 7, Southwick 6, Nicholls 7, Marsh 7, Booth 6, Ulfig 6. Subs (not used): Cooper, Hipkins.
STAR MAN: Jan Mulders.
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