In one of the most dramatic conclusions to a game this season in the Northern Alliance Bay Plastics Premier Division, Haltwhistle Jubilee came back from 2-0 down at half-time against title chasing Alnwick Town to claim a richly deserved point courtesy of Owen Murtough's 95th minute equaliser.

The midweek clash under the lights at Wentworth Leisure Centre in Hexham was Haltwhistle's first competitive action for a month and they paid the penalty for a slow start by going behind in the seventh minute.

Soon after kick-off, Haltwhistle keeper Thomas Craney was tested by Kieran Hogg's 30 yard free-kick which he managed to gather at the second attempt and, a couple of minutes later, he was at full stretch to palm away full back Jordan Dobie's deep cross from the right.

It was one-way traffic towards Craney's goal and he could do nothing to prevent the opener. Former Sunderland RCA striker Usman Ogidan, who was once on West Ham United's books, showed a great burst of pace down the left before cutting inside into the box and, after beating his man, squared it across the face of goal where it was turned into his own net by Dan Parker with centre forward Euan Potts on his shoulder ready for a simple tap-in (0-1).

At the other end, against the run of play, Haltwhistle should have equalised in the ninth minute through centre forward Greg Urwin. Put clean through by Shaun Johnstone's flicked-on header, Urwin was thwarted by Matthew Alexander who was off his line quickly and blocked the shot.

Urwin then tried his luck with a long range free-kick that was saved low down by Alexander and, soon after, the league's top stopper again got down well to to keep out a header from Will Burns' long throw before punching clear Urwin's dangerous cross from the left side of the box.

Showing seven changes to the side that lined-up in the 2-0 defeat at Ponteland last time out, Alnwick Town were much sharper here and tried to stay on the front foot.

Brannon Patterson and Hogg (twice) had shots blocked but, despite enjoying the lion's share of possession and territory, clear-cut chances were at a premium.

However, the visitors' pressure eventually told when the lead was doubled in the 31st minute through another own goal. Breaking forward from inside his own half, Dobie found plenty of space down the right and, after playing a one-two with Patterson, a low cross was diverted past Craney at the near post by full back Paul Wilson with Ogidan inches away from making contact himself (0-2).

Continuing to play at a high tempo, the chances kept coming in the closing stages of the half. The pacy Ogidan latched onto a clearance and beat his man before laying it off to Potts who had a low drive blocked by Craney's legs for a corner, from which Patterson's delivery was headed over by central defender Lee Johnson.

The visitors were forced into a change soon after the re-start when the influential Hogg tweaked a hamstring, and things got even worse when their lead was halved in the 49th minute.

James Best's through ball found Rob Hayes who was brought down 30 yards out and the resulting pinpoint set-piece delivery curled in by Urwin was met by an unmarked Wilson who powered a header into Alexander's net (1-2).

Wilson then did well to keep the ball in play near the right touchline before poking it past a defender to Johnstone who turned and fired it low across the face of goal but there were no teammates on hand to turn the ball home.

The visitors had been second best since the break, posing little threat to Craney's goal. His only meaningful action approaching the hour mark was to punch clear a corner curled into the six-yard box.

With the Haltwhistle midfield battling well and repeatedly first to any second balls, more chances were created. Exploiting a lack of pace in the heart of the visitors' defence, Urwin was put clean through on goal in another one-on-one with Alexander but the keeper again did well to block the shot and two follow-up efforts met the same fate.

It looked as though it just wasn't going to be Haltwhistle's night when Urwin was denied for a third time by Alexander in the 89th minute, with the keeper getting down low to his right to make the save.

However, with Alnwick Town's defensive clearances becoming increasing desperate and a case of anywhere will do, the home side's second half efforts were deservedly rewarded in the 95th minute. 

Johnstone's long throw from the left, launched into the box from mid-way inside the Alnwick half, was flicked on to an unmarked Owen Murtogh at the back post and he dispatched a sweetly struck right-footed half-volley into the roof of the net sparking wild celebrations on the pitch (2-2).