STRATFORD Town suffered a late collapse to draw 2-2 with Redditch United on Monday night.
The Bards looked set to take all three points against the Reds after Josh Hawker and Will Grocott struck in the space of five second-half minutes to put Stratford two goals ahead.
However, Bernard Mensah and Max Sheaf netted in the final six minutes to deny the Bards their first win of the season.
Stratford are down in 20th place in the Southern League Premier Central table after three matches.
And the Bards were second best in the first half against Redditch but did well to go into the break on level terms.
Stratford made Matt Clarke’s side pay for failing to convert their dominance into goals when Hawker opened the scoring on 69 minutes from close range after Kieran Boucher could only push a deflected shot into his path.
The visitors doubled their lead just five minutes later when Grocott delivered a wicked low ball into the box that went all the way in.
However, the Reds refused to lie down as Mensah halved the deficit at the second attempt from Lewis Hudson’s square pass on 84 minutes.
And the home side scored an unlikely equaliser in the first minute of added time when Sheaf volleyed home at the back post from Ryan Nesbitt’s deflected cross.
Stratford are next in action at home to Hednesford Town on Saturday, August 20 with kick-off at 3pm at the Arden Garages Stadium.
