WAYNE O’Sullivan’s late penalty rescued a deserved point for 10-man Bedfont at Ashford on Thursday night.
The former Plymouth and Swindon midfielder calmly slotted home from the spot with 10 minutes left as the Peacocks came from behind despite playing the last 50 minutes of the match a man light after striker Lee Scott was dismissed for a late tackle.
Keeper Gary Ross, whose earlier blunder had gifted Ashford the lead then atoned for his error with a stunning save in stoppage-time, tipping Ashford player manager Jamie Lawrence’s shot onto the post.
Scott was nearly on the scoreboard in the first 40 seconds, but saw his low shot from O’Sullivan’s pass well saved low down by Ashford’s debutant keeper Andray Baptiste.
Reis Stainislaus then fired over before being caught with a late challenge which resulted in lengthy treatment.
The stoppage clearly broke the concentration of Ross who made a present of the opening goal on 10 minutes, dropping an Ashford corner into his own net.
Baptiste nearly repaid the compliment five minutes later as a Gavin Hart cross slipped through his fingers, but there was no-one gambling for Bedfont at the far post.
Baptiste then saved twice in quick succession from the impressive O’Sullivan as the game remained very open, before a game which had threatened to boil over did so on 40 minutes when Scott received a straight red for another late challenge on Billy Jeffries.
Bedfont started the second half like they had the extra man rather than being a player light.
However, it should have been 2-0 on 56 minutes when |Lawrence was sent racing clear, but a poor touch from the former Bradford man saw Ross smother the eventual shot.
Ashford threw on Mark Bitmead for Berry on 67 minutes in search of the second goal, but it was the 10 men who continued to force the issue and Baptiste was at full stretch to parry Carl McCluskey’s shot behind.
But when the former Harrow man failed to claim the corner the scramble that followed led to a penalty and Wayne O’Sullivan slammed home the leveller from the spot.
The visitors might have finished with nine men had Jim Ward been sent off when he tripped substitute Isaiah Rankin as he burst clear in stoppage-time, but the centre-half escaped with a yellow.
And Ross’ late heroics preserved a well-earned point.
