Skegness Town boss says last-gasp winner was 'a great feeling'

Skegness match-winner Gary King goes up for a header at Eastwood on Saturday. Photo: Jason Chadwick.

Gary King thundered home a 93rd minute volley to take all three points from a game against a side also battling it out at the top.

And Rawlinson said it was just reward for a performance that saw Skegness having to be strong at both ends of the pitch.

He said: “It was a really good battle between two teams at the top of the table. Eastwood have some great strength going forward and a strong midfield and their front three probably gave us as tough a game as we’ve had all season and it meant we had to change shape.

"Equally, our first-half performance saw us set off like a train and score a great goal, but it was really disappointing to concede pretty much straight from the kick-off so we have to learn a lesson there.

"But we then scored another really good goal and maybe should have been further ahead on the balance of chances, but to be fair Eastwood really went at us in the second-half.

"We always had a threat going forward but we defended resolutely – they had four corners in stoppage time that we had to defend – and then we brought Leon Mettam on who hasn’t played or trained for 12 or 13 games and he got down the wing and put in a cross and for Gary King to volley it in like that was a tremendous feeling.

"Wins are wins, but 93rd minute wins against play-off rivals are so welcome. We haven’t cracked it, we’re nowhere near done, but we’re in a good position at the moment.”

Skegness now face a double-header with eighth-placed Belper United, welcoming them to the Vertigo Stadium this weekend before then returning to the scene of last Saturday’s win a week later as that is where Belper currently play their home games.

Rawlinson said: “I’m challenging the lads to win all our remaining home games. Belper are finding their feet again after lots of changes so it’ll be tough, especially going back to the same 3G as they’re a different surface and can be hard on the bones so we have to be careful.

"It would also be great if we can get lots of fans down to support the lads as it’s really beneficial to them. We’re doing well and who knows when this will happen again, so hopefully people will come and see what it’s all about.”