Dean Pinnington put the gloss on a solid team performance with a last-gasp equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw for FC Isle of Man against Longridge Town at the Bowl on Saturday evening.

Setting up Charlie Higgins for the game's opener after a mazy run, the former Wolves and Wigan Athletic player struck late on to rescue a point with a curling free-kick.

The Ravens had flown out of the traps in the North West Counties Premier Division clash.

With only 20 seconds on the clock, Joe Middleton’s flick on gave Adam Adebiyi a chance to open the scoring, but his effort went just wide of Kai Crowe’s post.

Longridge’s best chance early on came as Jack Anderton fired just over Mark Blair’s crossbar in the 10th minute.

With chances coming at a premium, it was the Manx side who got their noses in front in the 26th minute via a well-execute counter-attack.

The Ravens cleared a Longridge corner, Luke Booth laid it off to Adebiyi who played the ball out wide to Pinnington who drove forward, created some space by driving past a defender into the box before picking out Higgins to tap home.

But the away team drew level almost immediately as Anderton bent a glorious free-kick into the top corner past Blair to make it 1-1.

Longridge had a later goal ruled out for offside just before the break after Blair was unable to hold a stinging shot from the edge of the box.

The visiting side started the second half brightly and took the lead when Conor High scored one of the best goals you will see all season as his left-footed bullet effort from range found the top corner, leaving Blair unable to get anywhere near it.

In a tight second half, the game opened up after a tactical tweak from Rick Holden that saw Pinnington played through on goal but, rather than shoot, he tried to tee up captain Mikey Williams and the ball was played just behind him which let Longridge Town off the hook as the chance went begging.

A similar second chance fell to Williams soon after as a cross from Adebiyi found him at the back post and his scuffed effort not only saw the chance come and go, but saw Williams hurt in the process, with him having to be subbed off.

With the clock ticking down, just when it looked like the away side would hold on to return home with all three points, the Ravens were given a free-kick for handball which Pinnington sized up and bent into the far corner beyond Crowe to make it 2-2 in the 91st minute.

The game then threatened to take one final heart-breaking twist as FC Isle of Man defender Karl Clark was forced to scurry back and clear the ball off the line in the 93rd minute, securing a point for his side.

- FC Isle of Man are back in action quickly as they travel to Lancashire to face Euxton Villa in Chorley this Tuesday evening, kicking off at 8pm.

After that, the Ravens return to their home patch when they take on Pilkington at the Bowl this Saturday evening, with the match getting underway at 6pm at the national stadium.

SAM TURTON