A FARCICAL climax deprived Winsford of three points on an afternoon when the team was again savaged by a cruel injury blow.

The Blues were comfortably holding a 1-0 lead when, halfway through the second half, keeper Andy Oakes stayed down after bravely blocking a Tony Carroll shot.

He was stretchered off and with him went the confidence and assurance Winsford had shown in keeping Borough at bay for the previous 67 minutes.

Paul Wheeler adopted the gloves, but the absence of the dominant Oakes encouraged the visitors to finally show some attacking ambition with a crude aerial bombardment of the Winsford area.

It was unimaginitive stuff but proved effective as they scored two late goals to snatch an undeserved point.

On a bright February day neither side shone in a first half where the repetitive sound of the referee's whistle drowned out most of the football.

A couple of long-range efforts from Steve Aspinall, one of which was headed off the line, was the only source of concern for the Radcliffe defence.

At the other end Oakes, groggy from an earlier collision, was beaten to a free-kick by David Bean, whose header sailed over.

It wasn't until the 63rd minute that the game was rescued from mediocrity, substitute Chris Bermingham being the saviour.

Within 12 minutes of replacing Joe Connor he collected a Neil Doherty pass before cutting inside to coolly curl the ball around the goalkeeper into the corner of the net and edge the Blues ahead.

Just four minutes later Oakes made his exit, leaving the last line of defence looking decidedly frayed.

Bean, who should have tucked away two earlier headed chances, took advantage by making it third time lucky, nodding in a free-kick on 76 minutes.

The fears of a Winsford collapse were erased 10 minutes later, however, as super-sub Bermingham struck again to send Barton Stadium into raptures.

Nathan Peel hared away from the flat Borough back four and kept his head to unselfishly slide the ball into the path of the on-rushing Bermingham, who slotted home his second brilliant goal.

With only minutes remaining and 2-1 down, the UniBond strugglers weren't about to waste time playing the Winsford way when long-ball tactics would suffice.

Colin McCrory fired in a powerful cross towards another United sub, Kevin Booth, who would have been pole-axed if he hadn't protected his face with his hands.

The unsympathetic referee gave a penalty, and Tony Carroll's clinical spot-kick into the corner was virtually the last touch of the game.

Winsford: Oakes (Moore 67 mins), German, Talbot, Came (Booth 62), Hibbert, Wheeler, Doherty, Thomas, Peel, Connor (Bermingham 50), Aspinall.

Attendance: 184.

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