AN ERRANT back pass from Paul Longthorne handed Willenhall a second half winner that would appear to have consigned Town to another season in the humdrum arena that is the Travel Factory Alliance.

It wasn't just that one mistake that ultimately cost Stratford promotion but a whole host of reasons during a topsy-turvy 2004 .

All the clubs in the promotion chase will look back on dropped points - and none more so than Lennie Derby's charges - who had one final chance to secure the point that would have guaranteed promotion.

Having dragged themselves back into a game that they rarely looked like winning - never mind drawing - the midfielder's slip was capitalised on fully by substitute Nicky Campbell whose 65th minute goal left Willenhall celebrating promotion and the losers reflecting on a golden opportunity lost.

Sigh of relief

Campbell's entrance minutes before half-time looked like being a turning point. The visiting side's top scorer John Quilt was stretchered off and the home defence heaved a huge sigh of relief despite the fact that the centre froward had given Willenhall a third minute lead.

That was another home giveaway. Two players went for the same ball after a throw-in on halfway and Gary Hay was allowed to run down the right flank from where his cross was headed down by Danny Coates for Quilt to tap into the empty net.

Lennie Derby's decision to play Steve Fergusson as the sole striker looked the wrong one as the hosts struggled to string any decent moves together. Willenhall were fast on the break, quicker into the tackle and first to any loose balls and it seemed only a matter of time before Town's hopes were extinguished completely.

The home manager opted to leave Scott Darroch, Neil Kitching and Joe Wright on the bench, while Brian Gray didn't even make that particular vantage point. Richard Evans, meanwhile, replaced suspended skipper and newly announced Supp-orters' Player of the Season, Nigel Niblett, and did a solid job in his first full full game for several months.

The first of several skirmishes saw Fergusson yellow-carded after a tangle with Coates, while Nicky Heath received similar punishment after a late challenge.

The weather didn't improve after the break but Stratford's performance did. Darroch replaced Craig Ball and doubled Town's strike force that ultimately reaped reward but only after Coates had struck the outside of Lee Keyte's post.

Wright, who replaced the limping Heath after 52 minutes, was the provi-der five minutes later and Paddy Conn-elly managed to squeeze the ball past keeper Andy de Bont via the legs of a defender. Game on!

However, eight minutes later, Longthorne, recalled to the side after a three-week absence, gifted Willenhall a second and home hopes were again put on the back burner.

Michael Stephenson replaced Evans with 11 minutes left soon after another fracas that earned Darroch and Danny Rochester cautions, while the next bout of "handbags" saw former Masons Road favourite Leon Allen sent off for dissent just minutes after entering the fray.

That was surely the signal for a late Town assault but all they could muster was a shot from Wright that skimmed the side-netting and an injury-time Fergusson strike that brought de Bont to his knees.

Keyte had earlier denied Jason Smith after more sloppy defending on an afternoon when sorry Stratford's showing matched the miserable May weather!

News that Rocester were being held by Grosvenor Park gave Willenhall thoughts of a title triumph, while keeping Town still in their hoping. However, a goal in the third minute of stoppage time ended home hopes and left Saturday's winners hoping the Staffordshire side fail to defeat Oldbury tonight.