CREWE Vagrants were denied the consolation of a deserved point after Urmston scored just two minutes from time in their North Hockey League Division One clash.

Played in torrential driving rain and gale-force winds, Crewe, after twice levelling from behind, were left with nothing following a game that could easily have gone the wa, losing 3-2.

In a furious-paced opening few minutes, Vagrants had the better of the territorial possession and pressed hard in the visitors’ half.

Urmston countered with a couple of dangerous breaks, however, and won two short corners in quick succession but failed to convert either.

On 12 minutes, though, after more pressure on the hosts, they opened the scoring from close range.

After pegging Urmston back in their own half on 20 minutes, Crewe made it 1-1 with a close-range equaliser from Ed Beake. On 30 minutes Urmston deservedley retook the lead with a spectacular rocketed shot from the edge of the ‘D’, which flew high into the net.

The home side resumed determinedly, going close to a leveller but surrendering possession easily, allowing Urmston to break.

Twelve minutes into the second half, however, James Taylor connected with a long pass from Phil Robinson, nicked in from close range to restore parity.

Vagrants continued to lose possession easily, but Dave Holland made a sparkling long run only to be denied when he failed to round the opposition keeper.

Crewe had finally taken the bit between their teeth and spurned two excellent chances to go ahead with successive corners, fluffing the first and seeing the second well-defended.

Holland then put in a fine dribble near the Urmston goal, but could not find the finishing touch.

Then came the hammer blow, as two minutes from the final whistle Urmston rallied and poked the ball home from a goalmouth melee to grab victory.

Crewe had golden chances to pull level with two successive corners in stoppage time, but sadly wasted them both.