IN a match which saw three red cards, two late goals from league leaders Curzon Ashton denied Skelmersdale United the chance to leapfrog their opponents to the summit of the Evo-Stik League’s First Division North.
A brace from Shaun Tuck on 29 and 56 minutes put Tommy Lawson’s team firmly in control of the clash of the top two sides.
But Samuel Walker netted with just two minutes to go and three minutes into added time Mike Fish struck to level the match.
Curzon’s Matty Purcell and Andy Heald were both sent off in a feisty affair, as was Skem’s Ken Strickland.
Elsewhere in the division, Warrington Town fell to a 2-1 defeat at Woodley Sports.
Lee Madin scored for Town late in the first half but it turned out to be a mere consolation as Sports won the points via goals from John Marsden and Adam Mather.
Prescot Cables were denied the chance at bagging maximum points at AFC Fylde when James Thomas’s late goal was cancelled out by an even later effort from the hosts’ Lee Thorpe.
Meanwhile, Cammell Laird remain in trouble in the division, Neil Towler hitting a hat-trick in Ossett Town’s 3-0 victory.
IN the North West Counties League’s Premier Division, AFC Liverpool benefited from a late own goal to edge Flixton 2-1 and secure only their second victory of the campaign.
The three points lifted AFC off the foot of the table, replacing Atherton LR who themselves were beaten by the new leaders of the division, Bootle.
Chris O’Brien’s team defeated Atherton 3-0 at the Delta Taxis Stadium thanks to first-half goals from Neil Prince, Mark Kilroy and Lee Thompson.
Elsewhere in the division, Runcorn Linnets and Silsden shared eight goals in a real thriller.
Rob Whyte, Sean Pearson, Matthew Atherton and Daniel Smith struck for the Linnets with Danny Husband, Andrew Lee, Dan Brown and Joshua Gaughan on target for Silsden.
Meantime, St Helens Town were dealt a late blow when Maine Road’s Rob Brocklehurst struck in the 89th minute to give the home side a 2-1 victory.
Daniel Hand had given Town a 17th minute lead only for Matt Huntley to level on 70 minutes.
In the North West Counties League’s First Division, Formby also suffered late heartache as Kwambe Barnett’s 88th minute goal won the points for Northwich Villa.
