REDDITCH Borough suffered a last gasp 6-5 defeat in a breathless 11-goal epic against league leaders Droitwich Spa on a historic night for the club.
The game took place under the lights for the first time at Borough’s Cherry Tree Walk home and was played in front of a record crowd of 302 spectators.
Borough took lead through 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.
However, Redditch levelled the game before half time courtesy of Kai Del Kiffin’s effort from the tightest of angles and Batchelor’s wicked free-kick.
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 Jack Davies blasted home to bring an end to a frantic contest.
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 chaotic 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 an unstoppable effort past a rooted Neeson with virtually the final kick of the game.
Redditch have now lost on three separate occasions against Spa in all competitions this campaign while Borough also tasted defeat at home in the league for the first time this season.
