A CONTROVERSIAL strike six minutes into injury time cost Stourport all three points from their trip to the West Country as they drew 2-2 with Taunton Town.

The furious Swifts players were left seething after the home side snatched a point from a game that they had controlled for long periods.

Striker Duncan Willetts bagged his third goal in two games when he opened the scoring on the half-hour after passing a late fitness test.

The Stourport ace was pushed over inside the area but picked himself up to score from the spot. The visitors continued to dominate and Mark Crisp wasted two glorious chances to increase the lead before the interval.

Andy Checketts, Dean Tilley and Craig Webb all should have stretched Stourport's lead before Dan Mason added a second 15 minutes from the end, cleverly lofting the ball over home keeper Kenny Griffiths.

But just as Swifts appeared to be on the way to victory, Gary Fisher reduced the arrears with an 84th minute strike.

Veteran Tommy Callinan was then sent off in the closing stages for kicking Stourport skipper Jay Powell and there was another chance for Dave Titterton's side to make sure of victory when Webb charged through only to send his shot wide of the goal.

But it was ten-man Taunton who had the final say when Liam Moseley scrambled home their late leveller.

Swifts kick off their festive programme with a trip to Brackley in the Southern Football League division one west on Saturday.

Their next game is at home to Evesham on Monday December 27 before they travel to Mangotsfield on New Year's Day and entertain Bromsgrove on Monday January 3.

Swifts: O'Malley 6, M Jones 5,Green 6, A Jones 7, Powell 7, Tilley 5, Checketts 6, Webb 6, Crisp 4 (Bragoli 82), WILLETTS 8 (Atkinson 89), Mason 7.