Report by Aaron Sutcliffe, Droitwich Standard Sports Editor

Jack Davies scored a last gasp winner as Droitwich Spa beat title rivals Redditch Borough 6-5 in a breathless 11-goal epic.
The Saltmen fell behind to Kyle Batchelor’s early header only for goals from Nathan Binner, Alex Dugmore and Perry Moss to put Spa in command by the half-hour mark at Cherry Tree Walk.
However, Redditch levelled the game before half time courtesy of goals from Kai Del Kiffin and Batchelor.

Spa reclaimed the lead early in the second half when Charlie Tilley smashed home before a howler from Borough goalkeeper Joe Neeson allowed Binner to stretch the away side’s lead.

Redditch cut the deficit late on as Kedeiah Warren-Paul finished from close range before Spa lost both Jamie Sauntson and Jack Brighton to the sin-bin.

And Borough made the two extra men count as Samuel Yankson equalised two minutes from time.

However, Spa snatched the points in injury time as substitute Davies blasted home to spark wild scenes of celebration on the touchline and bring an end to a chaotic affair.

Borough broke the deadlock after just six minutes when Batchelor headed home after Redditch won a flick-on.
Spa defender Lewis Phillips then cleared off the line after Warren-Paul beat Droitwich goalkeeper Joe Stockton to a loose ball.

However, the visitors drew level on 15 minutes when Dugmore allowed the ball to run into the path of Binner who placed a superb first time shot into the bottom left corner from 15-yards out.

And Spa completed a sensational turnaround just two minutes later as Dugmore curled a sublime effort into the top left corner from the edge of the penalty area to leave the home side stunned.

The visitors went close again as Batchelor headed Moss’s initial effort into the air and Dugmore sent an overhead kick narrowly over the crossbar.

Borough searched for an equaliser at the other end as Batchelor headed just wide at a corner.

However, Droitwich extended their lead on the half-hour mark as Moss saw his effort well-saved by Neeson when one-on-one before smashing home the rebound.
And Spa almost struck again when Dugmore superbly controlled a long ball only for Neeson to make another crucial stop as the striker saw his follow-up header cleared off the line.

Redditch reduced the deficit on 32 minutes as Del Kiffin somehow squeezed the ball into the net from the tightest of angles in the penalty area.

And Borough drew level in a remarkable first half as Batchelor sent a rocket of a free-kick into the bottom left corner from 25-yards out four minutes before the break.

Droitwich were left aggrieved by the decision to award the free-kick after James Lemon appeared to win the ball in the challenge which led to the goal.

Spa almost reclaimed the lead as Neeson denied Binner from close range before the Redditch stopper showed superb reactions to tip Cory Rudd’s venomous effort from the edge of the penalty area over the crossbar.

That proved the final action of note in a frantic first half as the teams went into the break locked at three-apiece.
The chaos continued four minutes after the interval as Tilley smashed the ball into the roof of the net from inside the box.

And the Saltmen extended their lead on 55 minutes when Binner’s tame volley from the edge of the penalty bounced in the mud and squirmed through the legs of Neeson in a horror moment for the Borough goalkeeper.

Redditch set-up a grandstand finish when Warren-Paul blasted home 10 minutes from time with Spa defender Sauntson sent to the sin-bin for his protestations with the Saltmen calling for a foul in the build-up.

Spa lost another player to the sin-bin in the final few minutes with Brighton sent from the field for dissent.

And Borough capitalised on the two-man advantage as Yankson forced the ball home in a crowd of bodies with two minutes left to play.

However, there was still time for one final twist as Spa substitute Davies lashed and unstoppable effort past a rooted Neeson with virtually the final kick of the game.

The victory is Spa’s third against Borough in all competitions this campaign while Droitwich also inflicted Redditch’s first home league defeat of the season.