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Vill Powell’s Sheffield FC produced a never-say-die performance at Newton Aycliffe on Saturday, as they came from 2-0 down with three minutes to go, to rescue a point at a windswept Moore Lane against the promotion hopefuls.

It was a game that was dominated by a gale-force wind, with Newton having the 50mph breeze at their backs in the first half, however Club managed the conditions resolutely stemming just about everything the hosts threw at them.

Chances were limited, and it took until the 38th minute when Cole Kiernan held off his defender and lofted the ball over Mikey Roxburgh, with the ball crawling across the line to apologetically break the deadlock.

The second half had Club with the advantage of the hurricane and an added bonus of horizontal sleet behind them, and despite dominating play, they failed to truly test ex-SFC keeper Jim Pollard.

On 79 minutes the home side were awarded a dubious looking penalty by the referee for handball, Jake Petitjean lashing the spot kick high and in the top corner to give Roxburgh no chance despite guessing the right way.

After more kitchen sink hurling from the visitors, it seemed like a mere consolation goal on 89 minutes when the ball finally landed kindly following a goalmouth mêlée, giving Josh Ayres an easy finish from close range.

When all looked lost and in the third minute of added time, Club threw one last roll of the dice at a corner, the ball fell to the corner of the area to Tom Zerboni who lashed a thunderbolt of a shot with his left foot into the roof of the net to put a glossy shine to a rather grim game of football.

Newton Aycliffe: 1 Jim Pollard, 2 Ryan Lincoln Barrow, 3 Joe Ferguson, 4 Alex Nelson, 5 Dale Elgie, 6 Jack Clarkson, 7 Ethan Wood ©, 8 Jake Petitjean, 9 Cole Kiernan, 10 Liam Jarvie, 11 Joe Gibson.

Subs: 12 Toby Pascoe, 14 Cieran Jackson, 15 Liam Adamson.

Sheffield FC: 1 Mikey Roxburgh, 2 Jack Hardacre, 3 Tomasso Zerboni, 4 Ben Whelan, 5 Reece Fielding ©, 6 Simon Jakab, 7 Connor Cutts, 8 Joe West, 9 Josh Ayres, 10 Cameron Bedford, 11 Kurtis Havenhand.

Subs: 12 Raeece Ellington, 13 Edd Hall, 14 AJ Greaves, 17 Luke Aldrich, 18 Harry Mitchell.

Attendance: 201

Referee: Sam Ross