A 96th minute Luke Carr header saw Dunston secure a massive three points in dramatic fashion at The UTS Stadium this afternoon.

Dunston made two changes to the side from Monday's win at Brighouse. JJ Chrisp entered the starting XI in place of David Robinson. Graeme Pickering started between the sticks on an emergency short-term deal with Dan Staples picking up an injury on Monday night.

Looking for two wins on the bounce, it took Dunston well over 20 minutes to get going in an uneventful, scrappy start to the game.

The first effort on goal didn't come until the 22nd minute when Liversedge's Jack Hardacre curled an effort high and wide of the target from outside the penalty area.

With over half an hour played, and only one shot on goal between both sides, Dunston finally had their chance. Luke Carr played a delicate through ball to Richard Coulson and the latter misplaced his effort wide of the target from ten yards out, one-on-one with Ravenhill.

Two minutes later, Dunston came close again through the red-hot Jack Maskell. The ball was played over the top and the 19-year-old forward attempted an audacious lobbed shot which dropped agonisingly wide of the post. JJ Chrisp also dragged an effort wide just one minute later with Dunston getting well on top.

Dunston continued to create opportunities with the first half coming to an end however, they also continued to be wasteful. Craig Baxter delivered an inch-perfect cross to the back post for Luke Carr but, his header went straight into the grateful arms of Ravenhill. Maskell then had another big chance when he beat the offside trap but, his effort hit the side netting. The score level at the break.

The opening 20 minutes of the second half was almost a carbon-copy of the first half. Neither side really created anything but, Dunston definitely looking the most threatening. 

Jordan Lamb was introduced midway through the half in place of Coulson, and the New Zealand-born forward looked as lively as ever as Dunston began to once again turn the screw.

On 66 minutes, Maskell snuck in behind the Sedge back line after a huge boot down the park from Pickering but, the ball was just about scrambled away by the visitors. Another excellent ball was played across the box towards Sado Djalo but, once again the ball just trickled away.

Pickering was then called into action on 73 minutes for the first time and made a monumental save in the context of the game. Alex Woolerton capitalised on an error at the back and Pickering intervened with a crucial save to keep the score deadlocked.

The final ten minutes was all one-way traffic as Dunston continued to search for that vital winning goal. Lamb brilliantly beat his man down the right-hand side, played the ball to Carr, and the latter's effort was miraculously tipped onto the bar by Ravenhill. 

A minute later, Lamb once again was causing problems for the Liversedge defence. The Kiwi managed to get himself one-on-one with Ravenhill however, the young 'keeper once again spoiled the party with a save. Again Lamb was proving to be a thorn in the side of visitors as he got another shot away which was heading for goal but, a huge block from a Liversedge shirt kept the score at 0-0.

Dale Pearson was also introduced during the second half and he almost found the winner in the second minute of stoppage time. Pearson drove forwards with the ball and drilled a well-hit effort towards goal, only for Ravenhill to once again pull off another sublime save.

It almost seemed like the highlight of the day was going to be the new burgers, which went down really well by the way. One in four people bought one of our new burgers. Thank you, everyone. However, the boys in blue kept pushing until the very end and, with 96 minutes on the clock, Luke Carr headed Dunston into the lead after a very well-worked move.

Baxter once again delivered another quality cross into the box and Luke Carr lept the highest and guided the ball past Ravenhill to send the UTS Stadium into a frenzy. No better feeling. That was essentially the last play of the match and Dunston now move up to fourth in the Northern Premier League East table with a huge win and another clean sheet added to the tally as well.

Report by Callum Pattison

Image Credit - Beauty Time Photography