Uhlsport Hellenic League Div One West

Purton 3 Lydney Town 2

PURTON'S unbeaten league run extended to 11 games after they came back twice to defeat league leaders Lydney Town in a thriller at the Red House on Saturday in front of 100 spectators, writes Alan Eastwood.

This was another outstanding performance by manager Justin Miller and his team against a Lydney side that were on a 12-match unbeaten run.

In the opening 15 minutes Joe Dorey and Lee Toomey both had efforts blocked and Dorey had a great 20-yard strike tipped over the bar.

Against the run of play, though, Pat Gibbs netted for the visitors on 20 minutes only for Purton to hit back with Marcus Hall, Jerome Dodson and Dorey all going close to levelling the match.

The second half saw both sides create chances and on 63 minutes Purton drew level after a great pass found Dodson, who finished clinically.

Five minutes later a lob by Jarred Liddington put the visitors ahead again.

On 78 minutes, however, Purton got back into it when a Dorey free kick was netted by Ritchie Saunders. At the other end, Jamie Richards and Nick McCrae made desperate goal-line clearances.

With two minutes remaining Purton scored a great winning goal when a Dorey free kick from some 30 yards out flew in off the underside of the Lydney crossbar.