Haringey Borough continued merrily on their individual error-strewn path which had cost them so dearly in their previous three games, all lost by a one-goal margin, but they reversed that trend by grabbing a last-gasp 3-1 victory over Stotfold in the South Midlands Premier Division.

After only four minutes central defender Nick Nicou dallied for too long over a routine clearance, inviting lurking Stotfold striker Nathan Aulsberry to rob him and run on to score from a tight angle.

It could have been much worse as before half-time Borough keeper Ryohei Tamai had raced out from goal as a corner came over, but he failed to collect and was left stranded on the edge of the area as the ball was lobbed towards the empty target, only to see it land on the roof of the net.

When Stotfold were awarded a free-kick well out on the right, a static defence allowed three strikers to attack it unchallenged at the far post but all failed to connect by a whisker. And another free-kick from a similar position was also not dealt with and was smashed into the side netting from close range at the far post.

In between these near disasters Borough had enjoyed plenty of possession but although unchanged, it was difficult to recognise this as the team which had performed so superbly at Dunstable in mid-week.

The service from the flanks was not of the same standard and by the interval Borough had only seriously tested visiting keeper Anthony Enders once, when Dewayne Clarke met a corner to send a thumping header towards the top corner from the edge of the penalty area which was pushed to safety.

Borough stepped up a gear after the interval - without ever getting near the heights of excellence achieved against Dunstable - and three minutes in Darrell Cox collected the ball just inside the area on the right and arrowed home the equaliser with a precise low cross shot via the foot of the post.

The hosts went on to enjoy the greater share of possession and both Cox and Richard Worrell should have scored with free close-range headers which they directed just wide.

Stotfold still looked dangerous though, and Tamai was forced into a tremendous double save, flying to his left to palm aside a 20-yard free-kick from a central position and then recovering in time to block at the foot of the post as it was turned back goalwards.

The introduction of substitute Dean Mason turned the game in Borough’s favour as he began to cause the visiting defence more problems down the right wing with his runs and close control.

But it was not until just into stoppage time that Borough completed their ‘get out of jail mission’ when Mason battled his way in from the right through several challenges and fed a short pass into right-back Charles Douse, who had raced ahead of him and he smashed home a ten-yard equaliser through a crowded goalmouth.

Stotfold were then forced to throw caution to the wind and when their mass upfield sortie was repelled two minutes later, Mason was in acres of space and onside when fed by a superb diagonal ball from Worrell which he sped on to and coolly drove it low inside the near post as Enders advanced.

Haringey Borough: Tamai; Douse, Stratis, Clarke, Nicou, Christian, Namquita (Mason), Koffi, Worrell, Cox, Morgan (Benjamin). Not used: Adebaki, Loizou and Horvath.