St Ives Town let what would have been three hard-earned points slip away after late stoppage time drama. 

Stephan Morley’s free-kick 30 seconds from the end of four added minutes in the second half secured a point for Hednesford Town and completing a comeback from two goals down on January 14. 

A Jonny Edwards wonder strike from around 30 yards inside the opening five minutes put the Ives in front, before Kieran Higgs’ well-taken goal doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark. 

Ives then squandered further opportunities to score a third, before Hednesford got themselves back in it from a corner eight minutes before the half-time break in the Southern League Premier Division Central. 

The game started in spectacular fashion when Edwards’ powerful strike swerved in the air that helped find a way past home goalkeeper Ronnie Hollingshead, on loan from West Bromwich Albion, high to his left. 

Higgs doubled that advantage on 28 minutes, driving home through a crowd after Johnny Herd’s long throw-in was only half cleared. 

The visitors had also spurned three good first half chances, Tyrone Baker and Nabil Shariff both denied by Hollingshead. 

Hednesford managed to grab a goal back from a 37th-minute corner when Danny Glover beat his marker to glance Kyle Bennett’s in-swinging kick onto Cole O’Sullivan, who forced the ball home from close range. 

The Pitmen tore into Ives from the restart and missed a clear chance on 52 minutes, only for 18-year-old goalkeeper James Dadge to brilliantly keep out Glover’s penalty, before smothering the loose ball. 

That save swung momentum back in Ives’ favour as Higgs and substitute Enoch Andoh went close to confirming the win. 

But hopes of a fifth away league victory were ended when Morley grabbed a point for the Pitmen with an inch-perfect set piece. 

St Ives now prepare for back-to-back home games with Ilkeston Town on January 21, 3pm before welcoming Alvechurch to Quattro-Tech Westwood Road on January 24, 7.45pm. 

St Ives Town: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (C), J. Williams, Toseland, Higgs (sub Andoh, 67’), Cowling (sub Hottor, 50’), Edwards, Shariff (sub Hickinson, 79’), Baker. 

Cautions: St Ives – Higgs, Herd. 

St Ives supporters’ man of the match: Jordan Williams. 

Attendance: 436.