MARK Pearce fired home a dramatic late equaliser on Saturday as Westbury came from behind to take a well-deserved point against the league leaders.

With a minute remaining, Pearce unleashed a fierce 35-yard drive that flew into the top corner of the net to cap a brave second fight back from United.

Clyst went into the match 24 points ahead of Westbury, having played eight games more, and it looked as though they were going to extend it as goals from Adam Shearer and Gareth Law gave the visitors a 2-0 lead early in the second half.

Westbury striker Jerad O'Pray pulled one back with a header on 70 minutes, leaving Pearce to send the Meadow Lane faithful home happy.

Manager Derek Graham said: "We didn't perform in the first half and so deserved to go in behind at half time, although their goal was hand ball.

"Their second goal was a sloppy one but after that the lads were tremendous.

"In the end we could have won it but I think a draw was a fair result in the end. I would have been very disappointed if we had lost but at least we have not lost any ground on them."

Despite the heavy rain that had been falling all morning, the pitch was in excellent condition as Westbury looked for a repeat of the form they showed in last week's 8-3 hammering of Devizes.

They suffered a blow early in the game as a hamstring injury forced top scorer Toby Colbourne to be replaced by Lee Carpenter.

In a first half dominated by the defences, neither side looked like breaking the deadlock until some poor defending by the home side on 44 minutes allowed Adam Shearer to give Clyst the lead, albeit in controversial circumstances as he looked to have used a hand in the build up.

Fired up by coach Paul Brickley at the break, Westbury emerged determined to put on a better show and nearly equalised on 47 minutes when Russell Fishlock's 30-yard strike was well saved by Ken Griffiths in the Clyst goal.

The home team got their deserved goal on 70 minutes when after a flowing five man move O'Pray headed Wayne Wheeler's right wing cross into the net.

With injury time approaching, Pearce picked up the ball inside the centre circle, beat a Clyst player and then fired home.

In the eight minutes of injury time, Wheeler went close to winning it but his shot was tipped wide by Griffiths.