Austin hails Harborough character as Carline's late leveller extends lead at the top

The Bees looked to be heading for a rare defeat as they trailed 2-1 to Bury Town deep into time added on at the end of the game.

But Carline popped up with a dramatic equaliser to make it 2-2 on 96 minutes, and with second-placed Spalding United being beaten 2-0 at home by struggling Bromsgrove Sporting, it turned out to be a very good day for Mitch Austin’s side.

Things looked to be according to plan when Harborough led 1-0 at half-time at the Bee Hive thanks to a 15th-minute strike from Riley O’Sullivan.

But the game was turned on its head in the space of nine second-half minutes as goals from Callum Page and Max Maughn saw the visitors hit the front with 12 minutes remaining.

But the Bees wouldn’t give up, and Carline came up trumps with his late, late equaliser.

“We showed good character and we were pushing towards the end to get the equaliser,” Austin told @HarbTownFC.

“I was a little bit disappointed as at times in the first half we were really dominant but wasted a lot of good opportunities.

“In the second half, Bury took theirs which was brilliant for them, but we showed character and to score with 30 seconds to go is testament to the lads.

“We can have an off day, it is what it is, and we have to make sure we are pushing forward in our next game.

“There was a bit of soul searching in the second half, wondering how it was going so wrong, but the players kept pushing and they have got a point.

“The lads deserve it, they really do. There is no stone left unturned with the staff and the players, and Saturday wasn’t our day, but it ended up being our day with results elsewhere.

“But we have to make sure whatever went wrong on Saturday goes right on Friday at St Ives.”

The Bees have a free week before an Easter weekend double header.

They go to struggling St Ives Town on Good Friday (ko 3pm) and then host Banbury United on Easter Monday (3pm).