DYNAMO HIT BACK IN ROYALS THRILLER

LOUGHBOROUGH Dynamo and Sutton Coldfield Town shared the spoils in an eight-goal thriller at the ADT Stadium in Loughborough.

The game started in explosive fashion with Dynamo’s assistant manager Brad Munn opening the scoring inside 35 seconds from outside the box with a composed finish.

But Sutton equalised in the third minute through Reece Gibson, setting the tone for an afternoon of thrills and spills.

Gibson tapped in his second in the 33rd minute, but Loughborough were level before half-time through Luke Thorogood.

Will Norcross put Loughborough back in front five minutes into the second half, but once again the advantage didn’t last very long.

Sutton’s Isai Marsella headed home off a corner in the 56th minute, and with 12 minutes to go, scored his second to give Sutton the lead.

But, as was fitting for this game, Loughborough scored again two minutes later, Max Bradley-Rowe tapping in a low driven cross from the left.

The result leaves Sutton 19th, albeit with at least three games in hand on most of the teams above them as Dynamo are sitting solidly in mid-table in 12th.

There was also plenty of drama at Newcastle Town, where second place

Leek Town scored a 94th minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw.

It had looked rosy for the visitors when Jason Law headed them in front after eight minutes but ended up needing to be bailed out by Tim Grice’s last-ditch headed leveller at the death to secure a dramatic point.

The turning point came right on half-time, as Leek’s Oliver Harrison was sent off for a professional foul.

By that point Newcastle had already equalised through Taylor Attrell and took the lead early in the second half through new signing Harvey Howell from close range.

Leek looked out of ideas, but Grice managed to pull them out of their hole to keep them second, while Newcastle remain 18th, just two points clear of the bottom of the table.

Score-draws seemed to be the order of the day as Ilkeston and Frickley drew 2-2, a result that leaves the teams fourth and 14th respectively.

Jermaine Hollis gave the home side the lead after a quarter of an hour, following a big defensive mix-up.

But Frickley were level five minutes before halftime, as Jonathon Margetts was fouled inside the box and fired home the resulting penalty.

The visitors turned the game on its head through a delightful goal midway through the second half.

Jacob Hazel played a nice pass and Bradley Wells beat a defender before converting from the edge of the box.

But Ilkeston got a deserved equaliser through a penalty of their own with less than 15 minutes remaining.

It was Alex Marshall finishing after Dean Freeman was brought down in the box.

And Luke Mangham scored his seventh goal of the season as Stocksbridge Park Steels

moved into the play-offs with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Spalding United.

Mangham’s goal midway through the second half proved decisive, with his shot on the turn finding its way past Spalding’s Michael Duggan.

There were chances for both sides in the first half, but neither was able to convert them.

And despite Spalding pressing late on, Stocksbridge were able to shut the game down effectively and hold out for the victory.

The result leaves Spalding in tenth place, firmly in mid-table.