Annan Athletic secured the last Scottish League Two play-off place with three games to go after they secured a point in a 2-2 draw in a game that epitomised what live football is all about. 

The home team left it very late with Ayrton Sonkur grabbing the equaliser with the last kick of the ball. 

Annan never gave up in a stirring second-half performance and they had to overcome a dubious penalty kick and had to fight back to overturn a two-goal deficit.

Stirling Albion came to Galabank knowing they could put Annan’s play-off hopes on hold, provided that they could secure the victory. 

Stirling welcomed the return of Danny Jardine and Ross McGeadie to the squad but the visitors were still without the services of striker Peter MacDonald and ex-Annan player Max Wright. 

Annan boss Peter Murphy, meanwhile, was without the injured Peter Watson, Ryan Sinnamon and Ross Fergusson.

Stirling started well and went ahead in the third minute when they cut Annan open down the right flank, ending with Lee Hamilton’s near-post low cross finding Darren Smith. The Stirling striker made no mistake from close range to give the visitors an early advantage.

Scoring opportunities were rare in the first half, Kyle Banner’s header in the 24th minute failed to hit the target and, almost immediately, Alex Mitchell pulled off a routine save from Lewis McLear’s effort from the edge of the box. 

As Saturday's game approached half-time, Jardine’s right-footed effort was saved by Mitchell.

The second half started with Annan taking the game to the visitors. Calum Ferrie pulled off a fine save to deny Tony Wallace whose shot was saved low down by the keeper. Kyle Bradley followed this up with an effort which sailed over the bar.

Annan were taking the game to the visitors and Aidan Smith’s header looked goal-bound until Ferrie tipped the effort over the bar. The Stirling keeper was on hand once again to save Steve Swinglehurt’s header from the resulting corner.

Stirling then, against the run of play, won a penalty after Swinglehurst was adjudged to have fouled Jordan McGregor, and Smith converted the spot-kick to give the visitors a two-goal lead. 

Annan immediately made a couple of substitutions with Christian Nade and Dave Wilson replacing Owen Moxon and Tommy Muir.

The Galabankies continued to take the game to Stirling and, as the game entered the final 10 minutes, Annan’s chances of saving the game appeared to be disappearing.  Swinglehurst’s 86th-minute was cleared off the goal line. 

But then came the breakthough in the 88th minute when the Albion keeper pushed Wallace’s effort into the path of experienced frontman Nade who scored from close-range from a tight angle.

The equaliser then came in the fourth minute of added time when Chris Johnston’s corner was met by Sonkur whose left-footed shot found the corner of the net from six yards.