ITwas last-minute heartache for Billinge on Saturday as they lost 2-1 to Eagle Sports in the Cheshire Football League Premier Division.

With the game deep into added time it looked to all present that it would end even but a needless foul - by Storks midfielder Nial Dawson - gave Eagle one last chance to snatch a win.

It still seemed unlikely when Liam Walker lined up the free-kick 25 yards out but the full-back produced a ‘worldie’ to put the ball in the top corner of the net.

The result was cruel on both Dawson - who was superb throughout - and Billinge who were far the better team in the second-half and looked the likely winners.

As it was the hosts started the game slowly and it was no surprise that Eagle took the lead after 22 minutes.

The Storks combative midfielder Richie Allen was dispossessed on the halfway line, Eagle broke superbly before Luke Sutton finished well at the far post.

Five minutes later the visitors should have doubled their lead but Brad Parker fired high and wide when through on goal.

This was the wake-up call that Billinge needed and moments later Maris Avraam went close from long-range and then on the half-hour mark the same player again narrowly missed the target from the edge of the box.

After a half-time ‘talking to’ The Storks came out of the block firing on all cylinders and were level on 50 minutes when a Dawson free-kick found Rob Lamont at the back stick where the striker duly obliged with a fine header.

Dawson then went close, while on the hour mark a clearance from Eagle keeper Andrew Heal rebounded off Lamont and grazed the wrong side of the bar for Billinge.

The Storks increased the pressure after Ryan Fitzpatrick received a second yellow card with Dawson, Ben Jacobson and Lewis Jones all testing Heal.

In the 88 minute Heal denied Lamont with a superb save before the final cruel twist.

The Billinge contingent was despondent while the Eagle players and bench celebrated wildly.

After the post-mortem The Storks manager - Wayne Wardle - said: "I suppose this is what the beautiful game we love is all about.

"Two poor decisions cost us again, one led to a goal against and the other to a last minute ‘worldie’.

" There were some fantastic individual performances from our lads and we just have take it on the chin and move on but it’s difficult to take at the moment.

"However, fair play to Eagle who didn’t stop even went down to ten men."

Billinge are due to return to action on Saturday 2 January 2021; whether this will be the case I suppose we’ll see...