A late Knockbreda comeback denied Comrades a win under the Dixon Park lights, but the draw was enough to secure their place in the Championship for next season.

The home side had a great chance to take the lead in the 5^th minute when a poor touch from ‘keeper Oates from a back pass allowed Andrew Mooney to nick ball away from him inside the box, but the striker delayed his shot too long allowing a defender to make a saving tackle.

The opening goal of the game came on 17 minutes and it was the hosts who got it. A free-kick played in from deep by Ian Fletcher found the head of Adam McCart and he powered in an unstoppable header from 9 yards,

The lead didn’t last long however as the visitors equalised three minutes later. Ciaran Heggarty, on loan to Knockbreda from Comrades, returned to haunt his parent club when he was allowed to turn and shoot from just outside the box and his effort eluded the dive of Richard Purcell and found the back of the net.

On 31 minutes Heggarty had the chance to get his name on the scoresheet again when a through ball set him free to run towards the box, but with Purcell advancing out of his goal an attempted lob over him went wide of the target from the edge of the box.

The teams went in at half-time on level terms, but Comrades opened the second half with a two goal blast that put them in command of the game at that stage. First, on 48 minutes, the visitors were undone by another free-kick pumped into the box, this time by Ryan Arthur, with Jason Johnston getting his head to the ball before the ‘keeper to score into an empty net.

Five, minutes later, the hosts’ lead was doubled. With the Knockbreda defence stretched, Andrew Mooney slid the ball through to set Kyle Beggs free down the right. He then cut inside and fired a dangerous ball across the goal and Liam Hassin arrived at the far post to convert from close range.

Beggs again  created danger in the 58^th minute when he played another great ball low into the box which was met by a first-time Andrew Mooney effort from 8 yards, but the ‘keeper was well placed to make a comfortable save.

Tempers flared on 63 minutes when Ryan Arthur and Heggarty tangled in front of the visitors’ dug-out. Other players and Knockbreda staff became involved in a melee, but when the referee managed to calm things down the original instigators were perhaps fortunate only to receive a yellow car each.

Comrades had a great chance to put the result beyond doubt on 72 minutes. Adam Gray produced a mazy run into the box from the left and got into a good shooting position, but stumbled at the vital moment. However the ball broke to Kyle Beggs 8 yards out who looks set to score, but he blasted his shot against the bar, not helped by an unfortunate bobble off the turf at the moment of contact with the ball.

Knockbreda then broke straight up the field and won a corner which saw the ball headed into the net by Hamill who rose higher than anyone else to get to it.

So inside a minute, from potentially being three down, the visitors now had only a single goal deficit to make up. Comrades, from being in a comfortable position now were under pressure and things were made more difficult for them in the 84^th minute when Ryan Arthur received a second yellow card and was sent-off.

Knockbreda tried to press home their numerical advantage and in the 85^th minute Sloan tested Richard Purcell with a shot from 16 yards, but the ‘keeper was able to gather.

It looked as it Comrades might hold on for first win under new manager Stephen Small, but a goal a minute into injury-time denied them. Too much space was afforded as Knockbreda attacked down the left and the ball was fired across the goal, where Purcell could only parry it out and McGreevy pounced to score from inside the 6-yard box.