Stephens the last-gasp hero as 10-man Harborough Town sink Lowestoft

A man short following Connor Kennedy's sending off five minutes into the second half, and trailing 1-0 with just six minutes remaining, the Bees somehow managed to win, with the fit-again Ben Stephens netting the winner 14 minutes into stoppage time!

Fellow substitute Riley O'Sullivan had netted the equaliser four minutes from time, that goal coming after the game was nearly called off as referee Martin Beard suffered serious cramp.

But the game did continue, and in the lengthy stoppage time added on, top-scorer Stephens was in the right place at the right time to drill home the winner from close range and sparked wild celebrations at the Bee Hive, with Lowestoft sliding to a seventh straight defeat.

"We missed a clinical edge in the first half, and with the form Lowestoft were in we felt it was a great opportunity to get another three points," boss Mitch Austin told @HarbTownFC. "So we put a bit of pressure on the lads, and I think they almost crumbled a little.

"They tried hard, but there was no phases, no edge, and they scored a great goal to go ahead.

"We then huffed and puffed with nothing to write home about, so we go in at half-time and make a couple of changes.

"We brought Ben Stephens on, and we have missed him while he has been injured, and he can give you a great edge with his quality.

"He and Riley O'Sullivan came on and showed their quality, showed that they are really important and big players for us, and it is going to be a good week now after 80 minutes of frustration.

"We are here to win, and I wasn't going to be over the moon with a point, far from it, because of their form.

"Lowestoft were okay, but I think we made them look a lot better than they are, but the ending was fantastic - it's what Saturdays are made for."

And he added: "The referee got injured, we were 1-0 down and he was going to call the game off, and to be fair I would have welcomed that.

"I think what happened to him has knocked the stuffing out of them (Lowestoft).

"But endings like that are one I am here for! The referee has not been great with us, he pulls up, we then get a goal and then go on to score on 90 plus 14, and it is what it is all about so let's enjoy it."

The win saw Harborough rise to seventh in the table, and to within just three points of the promotion play-off places.

The Bees are back in action next Saturday when they travel to 17th-placed Bromsgrove Sporting, who were beaten 3-0 at new league leaders Bedford Town at the weekend.