FC United benefit from last-minute penalty

 Source: MEN - Tony Glennon.

 FC United needed a hotly-disputed last-minute penalty to secure a vital victory over fellow Evo-Stik Premier play-off contenders Worksop.

The Rebels looked set to return home with only a draw until Tigers defender Chris Wood was controversially adjudged to have handled in the box in the dying seconds.

Wood was then sent off for protesting before FC’s Jerome Wright coolly dispatched the spot-kick to earn Karl Marginson’s men three more points towards their promotion push.

United had earlier trailed to a James Cotterill piledriver but captain Mike Norton’s 72nd-minute headed equaliser put them back on track for a win which stretches their unbeaten run to 14 games and keeps them riding high in fifth place.

Meanwhile, Ashton United collected another point towards their bid for safety with a goalless draw at Hucknall, while Northwich ended a four-match losing run by crushing Burscough 3-0.

Curzon Ashton remain on course for a fourth successive appearance in the Evo Stik North play-offs after sinking neighbours Trafford 3-2 at the Tameside Stadium.

Mossley fell 1-0 to leaders Chester at Seel Park despite the title-chasing visitors being a man short for more than an hour following the dismissal of former Droylsden and Ashton United winger Iain Howard for a dangerous two-footed challenge.

New Mills all but wrapped up the Vodkat League title with a 3-1 comeback triumph over visiting Bacup giving them a seemingly unassailable 17-point lead.

Manager Ken McKenna was prepared to settle for another point towards Altrincham’s Blue Square Bet Premier relegation fight despite the Robins letting a two-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 with visiting Cambridge.

Alty appeared to be cruising towards a fourth win in five games when goals from skipper Robbie Lawton and Damian Reeves (pen) put them two-up inside 35 minutes.

But a defensive blunder by Marc Joseph then allowed Liam Hughes to swiftly pull one back and the Moss Lane strugglers had to rely on stalwart keeper Stuart Coburn to save them from a potentially disastrous defeat after Cambridge’s Brian Saah had made it 2-2 just before the hour.

Alty’s second successive draw wasn’t enough to prevent them slipping back into the drop-zone with just five games left.

To add to their concerns, fiery midfielder Steve Connors will miss Saturday’s crucial relegation battle at Forest Green through suspension after being sent off for a second bookable offence late on.

But, despite the double set-back, McKenna (pictured) was quick to take the positives, saying: “Some might regard this as a bad result for us but at least we have pulled another point back on some of the other clubs who are fighting to stay up.

“We were the poorer side and will just have to hope this result proves to be a good one in the long run.

“We looked tired mentally and physically but if we can win our two remaining home games against Newport and Eastbourne, we’ll still have a good chance of avoiding relegation.”

Meanwhile, Droylsden’s hopes of making a late push for the Blue Square Bet North promotion play-offs suffered a huge set-back as they were thrashed 4-0 by leaders and red-hot title favourites Alfreton.

The Bloods were effectively sunk from the moment on-loan centre-half Paul Jones saw red for violent conduct just seconds after Paul Clayton had given the table topping hosts a 19th-minute lead.

Stalybridge stretched their unbeaten home run to eight games with a Phil Marsh penalty - his 20th league goal of the season - and a 30-yard screamer by Andy McWilliams giving them a 2-1 victory over Workington at Bower Fold.

But Hyde are staring relegation squarely in the face after sinking back into the bottom-two with a 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Gainsborough.

Kevin Holsgrove struck to give the troubled Tigers an interval lead, but they fell to two goals in three minutes in the closing stages.