For the second week running, Radcliffe Borough let a lead slip away in the final minutes of the game, to draw 1-1 against Ossett Town in Evo-Stik Division One North, writes Alan Firth.

Steve Howson was back in the side, following his international clearance, and went straight into the back four to replace the suspended Mark Ayers.

Boro took the lead on 14 minutes when a speculative cross from Danny Lafferty deceived the Ossett Town keeper Dobbs, and the ball ended up in the back of the net.

On 20 minutes, Bevan Burey’s weak shot failed to beat the keeper, after a good interchange of passes from Bradley Robinson and Sam Grimshaw on the edge of the box.

Five minutes later, Danny White saw his 25-yard effort go wide of the target. Boro almost doubled their lead on 65 minutes, when Dobbs failed to hold Danny Lambert’s 25-yard shot but Burey hit the rebound wide of the net.

Ossett almost equalised on 71 minutes when a slight mix-up in the Radcliffe defence saw Stephen Wakefield head over the bar.

Former Boro player, Shaun Conner, should have levelled the scores on 85 minutes, but he blasted his effort over the bar from two yards out.

With the 90 minutes almost up, Boro seemed to have all three points in the bag but Radcliffe’s goal scorer, Lafferty, was hit on the chest from very close range from an Ossett Town cross and a penalty was awarded by referee Peter Gibbons.

Town captain, Steve Jeff, stepped up to take the kick and blasted the ball past Chris Cheetham in the Boro goal to level the scores.

Boro, who travel to Padiham on Saturday, are still above the relegation places on goal difference.