Carlisle City scored a dramatic 3-2 home win over Redcar Athletic in Northern League Division One.
It was the perfect start to a big week for the club as they host West Auckland on Tuesday and entertain Cheadle Town on Saturday in the second round of the FA Vase.
When Redcar made it 2-2 in the second minute of time added on it looked as though City would have to settle for a point.
But in the fourth extra minute Jordan Holt popped up on the edge of the penalty area to fire a low shot into the bottom corner to win the game.
Manager Jim Nichols said: “I think we deserved it in the end. We had led for a long time and although they put us under a lot of late pressure I thought we coped well.
“We initially cleared a ball into the box and there were several phases before one of their lads hit a screamer into the top corner.
“At that stage there was a feeling of disappointment that we hadn’t seen it through but it shows the character in the team that they responded with a winning goal.
“We had led 2-0 inside 20 minutes and were playing well when they pulled one back. I thought we were still the better side until they put us under that late pressure.
“Redcar are a good side who have brought in players from a higher level so we expected it being tough. It was a good one to win and puts us in good heart for two big home games coming up.”
Jordan Palmer had given City a ninth minute lead and that was doubled on 20 minutes with a nicely taken second by Rob McCartney.
Layton Watts pulled one back for the visitors on 22 minutes and that’s the way it stayed until Brandon Holdworth’s 92nd minute leveller.
Holt was the match-winner, however, with his heroics in the 94th minute.
*City’s neighbours Penrith should have travelled for a League fixture to West Allotment Celtic but the game was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.
