By Matt Priest
A FRANTIC finish saw the points shared between USW and University of Gloucestershire (UOG) in a 2-2 Sport Park thriller.
The home side’s Dan Nuttall thought he had won it with a header in the 85th minute that sparked raucous celebrations.
But moments later Cam Smith snatched a point for the visitors, also with a header, to leave USW stunned.
UOG dominated the first 10 minutes of play after shots from Henri Lehtmets and Ethan Cawley forced saves out of USW shot-stopper Friday Kingsley -Mbode.
USW’s first chance came through Teifi Jones whose shot narrowly missed the target after a fine ball from captain Tom Smith split open the UOG defence.
USW doubled down on their period of pressure when a header from Smith hit the woodwork after a free-kick was looped over the UOG wall.
The opening half hour saw both sides come close without being able to put the ball in the back of the net and it was little surprise when the first-half ended at 0-0.
A beautiful free-kick in the 51st minute saw UOG take the lead as Lehtmets bent his shot round the wall and into the bottom corner, with USW stopper Kingsley-Mbode left watching.
USW equalised in the 75th minute as Jones lobbed the keeper from 30 yards out with a wonderful strike which might have been meant as a cross.
Nuttall then intervened in dramatic fashion before Smith matched his late scoring heroics in a breathless finish.
USW 5ths’ next game is against Southampton 3rds on February 8 in the Aldi Western Conference Trophy quarter-final.