SUBSTITUTE Alex Tomkinson rescued victory three minutes from time after Worcester City had let slip a two-goal lead against Shepshed Dynamo.

Winger Tomkinson finished inside the near post after James Baldwin’s effort from the ex-Barwell man’s centre had ricocheted back into his path.

Dave Reynolds prodded in from no more than a yard to put Worcester in front against the run of play on 31 minutes, sliding in to net after a hopeful Lee Hughes cross-shot had been spilled by Dynamo keeper Denham Hinds.

At the other end, Shay Brennan and Liam Hurst combined to allow Niall Prenderville the room to flick against the inside of the post with Matt Gwynne stranded a minute before the break.

The hosts had wobbles at the start of the second half but a quick break saw Josh Sarmento’s miscued ball met by the alert Hughes who dashed across his marker to lift high to Hinds’s left just before the hour.

The alarm bells started ringing when a customary scramble ended with Prenderville nodding in from substitute Alex Troke’s assist to give Shepshed a lifeline.

Troke had the bit between his teeth and wreaked havoc from there so it came as no surprise when he levelled, glancing in Liam Read’s inswinging ball from a half-cleared corner with 17 minutes to play.

Mark Danks took the pressure off by adding some attacking impetus and crossed for Reynolds five minutes from time but Hurst was on hand to spectacularly backheel off the line.

But City would not be denied and when Tomkinson got back his own delivery in a more central position he made no mistake.

CITY: Gwynne, Forsyth, Griffiths, Albert, M Smith, Hayward, Sarmento (Tomkinson, 63), Birley, Hughes (Danks, 66), Reynolds, J Smith (Baldwin, 85). Unused subs: Fishwick, Palmer (g/k).

SHEPSHED: Hinds, Hohn, Read, Preston, Betts, Prenderville, Harris (Hill, 79), Hurst, Brennan (Troke, 58), Reeve, Whymark. Unused subs: Peet, Laywood.

REFEREE: Paul Tyler.

ATTENDANCE: 378.