Will Collar’s dramatic last-gasp leveller helped keep Stockport’s automatic promotion hopes alive in a 1-1 draw at Gillingham.
George Lapslie had given the hosts the lead at Priestfield before Collar’s 89th-minute intervention salvaged a precious point to keep County two points off the top three places.
Visiting goalkeeper Ben Hinchcliffe saved Alex MacDonald’s low shot six minutes in as Gillingham looked to capitalise on Neill Byrne’s miscued clearance.
Hinchcliffe produced an even better stop to keep out Tom Nichols’ curling effort approaching the half-hour.
Stockport responded with midfielder Myles Hippolyte forcing Glenn Morris into a fingertip save with a goal-bound shot from 18 yards four minutes after the break.
However, soon after that the home side were ahead when Lapslie volleyed home his first goal in two months after Akil Wright’s clearance inadvertently hit County captain Ryan Croasdale and fortuitously deflected into his path.
But the Gills’ hopes of claiming a ninth home win in 10 games were denied when Collar rose the highest to meet Kyle Knoyle’s cross and loop a header over Morris.
Despite rescuing a draw, results elsewhere meant that County slipped from third to fourth in the League Two table.
