Struggling Stafford Rangers suffered a 2-1 defeat despite taking the lead against Ashton United.
Substitute Saul Henderson gave Rangers an unlikely lead late on in the game, but the Robins struck twice in the last ten minutes to keep their play-off hopes alive and deny a relegated Stafford a first home win in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier since January.
United shaded the first 45 minutes. Gary Gee’s shot was brilliantly blocked by Rangers’ Lewis Chalmers and Ashton defender Jason Gorton wasted two header efforts.
The best opportunity for Boro fell to Rangers striker Daniel Cope. He controlled well before flicking the ball over the onrushing keeper and the crossbar.
In the second half Ashton managed to carve out more attempts but they had clearly left their shooting boots at home.
And the hosts made Ashton pay for their misses.
Having only been on the pitch for four minutes, Henderson beat the offside trap to latch onto Ian Craney’s excellent through ball and send it past the advancing keeper for a 74th minute opener.
This was a wake-up call for United and they got back on terms a mere six minutes later.
It was route-one football from Ashton but there was nothing dull about the finish. It fell to substitute Chris Baguley who hit an amazing first-time volley into the far corner.
Then with five minutes to go the visitors scored the decisive goal that condemned Boro to their fifth defeat in six games.
There was some neat interplay between Lee Rick and Gary Gee.
Gee then delivered an inviting near post cross which Johnson nipped in to side-foot home.
Already-relegated Rangers are struggling on and off the pitch and this loss means they remain 22nd, while the Robins lie in fifth.
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