Division One, Tow Law Town 2 - Northallerton Town 1: TWO goals in the last two minutes saw Tow Law Town come from behind to beat Northallerton Town in division one last Saturday.

It was a bitter pill for Town boss Paul Burton to swallow after he had seen his side take the lead midway through the second half only to lose to a controversial goal scored deep into stoppage time.

"I've no complaints about their equaliser, it was an absolute gem," said Burton.

"But their winner was an absolute joke. Their scorer and at least two other players were clearly offside, even their manager admitted to me after the game that he was surprised that the goal was allowed to stand.

"I thought that we were the better side, but again we failed to take our chances, especially in the first half."

Town made the better start and went close to taking the lead in the sixth minute when a Karl Charlton lob from the edge of the area cleared the keeper, but also cleared the bar.

Even play followed and Northallerton keeper Sam Dobbs was called into action in the 24th minute when he made a great save to keep out a close-range, downward header from Carl Beasley following a left-wing cross from Derek Waters.

The visitors replied through Dominic Gamble, who fired just wide following a superb through ball from Charlton.

It was all Town in the closing stages of the first half as they created three good chances.

Charlton was clear through on goal in the 40th minute, but his powerful shot was badly directed and home keeper Liam Connell made a fortunate save with his legs.

A minute later, Micky Waller was just off target with a placed 20-yard drive which drifted inches wide.

But the best chance of the half fell to Paul Curry a minute before the break when a Simon Kasonali free kick was headed back across goal by David Goodchild to the unmarked Curry. He had time to pick his spot, but fired straight at the keeper, who again saved with his legs.

Northallerton continued to press forward in the second half and they took the lead in the 67th minute when a right-wing cross was headed over the keeper by substitute Dane Wilson and the unmarked Charlton had the simple task of firing into an empty net.

Tow Law almost grabbed the equaliser in the 79th minute, but Dobbs made a great save at the foot of the post to deny Scott Emmerson.

He could not hold the ball and Beasley fired just wide in the ensuing scramble.

Charlton had a great chance to increase Town's lead in the 84th minute when he intercepted a poor back pass from Matthew Gowland, but Connell was alert to the danger and made a good save.

This proved costly for the visitors as Tow Law equalised in the 88th minute through Andrew Thompson, who hit an absolute screamer from 20 yards into the top corner.

And it got worse for Northallerton when the Lawyers grabbed the winner deep into stoppage time. A cross from Danny Craggs was met by substitute Lee Hamilton, who, along with two other players, looked well offside. But he was allowed to go on and fire home.

Town visit Billingham Synthonia tomorrow and are at home to Guisborough Town in the League Cup on Wednesday, kick-off 7.30.

* Northallerton suffered more late agony on Wednesday night when a Steve Walklate goal in stoppage time gave visitors Sunderland Nissan a 2-1 win. Simon Kasonali scored for the home side.

* Glen Smith, who represented Great Britain in a gymnastics competition during the summer, performed a somersault throw-in to set up the equaliser for Stokesley in a 2-2 draw at home to Spennymoor.

Stokesley boss Ted Watts said: "It caught Spennymoor completely by surprise and Stuart Wise, who had pushed up, equalised.