Screwfix Direct League: Goalkeeper Paul Thompson headed an injury time equaliser to save Devizes Town from a shock defeat at the hands of lowly Bishop Sutton.

Thompson rose highest to power home a David Lloyd free kick in the third minute of added time to grab an undeserved point for Brian Newlands' men after a lacklustre display at Lakeview.

Barry Flippance scored Devizes' first equaliser on his return from a hamstring injury and came close to giving the visitors the lead in the opening stages when he fired inches over Ray Johnston's bar.

Bishop Sutton took the lead on 18 minutes when Garry Cripps finished off a three-man move, but Flippance was on hand to punish a defensive error moments later and bagged his eighth goal of the campaign.

But Devizes' joy was shortlived as Cripps restored the Sutton advantage within two minutes with a shot from 12 yards. Cripps might have completed his hat-trick in the second half, but both he and Dean Maggs both fired wide for the hosts.

David Hopkins headed over for Devizes before Thompson's dramatic late intervention sparked scenes of joy on the visitors' bench.

Devizes boss Newlands, who was without the services of Bud Walters, Chris Copp and Nick Mooney, felt his side had deserved to take nothing from the game after a poor display.

He said: "We were desperately short, but I felt at no point did we match their work rate. They deserved to win the game, you can't deny that.

"But football is all about keeping going to the 90th minute and they were obviously gutted at the end when Paul Thompson scored. I felt he's shown the kind of determination some of the other players should have shown."

Newlands had only planned to use top scorer Flippance for an hour on his return from injury, but was forced to keep him on the field for the full 90 minutes such was Devizes' lack of potency in front of goal.

Said Newlands: "We kept him on because he looked like the only player that would score and so it proved, apart from the goalkeeper."

Devizes are without a fixture until their trip to Yeovil Town Reserves on December 8.