TOM Sharp scorched in to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for Dalton to the delight of his ecstatic team-mates at Kelland Park.

It all looked doom and gloom for the home side who saw a 12-8 lead evaporate with only four minutes on the clock in the Pennine League Division One clash on Saturday.

Inspired by BARLA international forward Jamie Field, Parkside went ahead late on through what Dalton’s players and supporters thought was not a try when Jack Raby went in at the corner.

As the clock ticked down Field put in a towering kick to the corner, and the ball was snapped up by Raby who crossed the line.

Dalton players claimedhe had the ball knocked from his hands, but referee Nathan Johnson, who controlled the game excellently, ruled a try.

This brought the scores level, and big, robust prop forward Field kept his nerve to send the ball sailing between the posts, leaving Dalton two points in arrears.

But one last throw of the dice paid dividends when Dalton moved the ball through the tackle count, taking play over the halfway line.

Ryan Baines went wide, parting to Joe Braund-Smith and as the cover converged he released Sharp who had 35 yards to reach the line.

Urged on by the home fans he raced down the touchline, and as full-back Luke Medley came across he slowed down before changing gear to romp over in the corner – game, set and match.

Playing their first home game for two months, Dalton took on a good Parkside outfit who were not afraid to let the ball do the work, with half-backs Chris Boyce and Lewis Buxton in the thick of the play, along with the crafty prop Field.

But undeterred, Dalton matched them throughout and neither side could have complained if the spoils had been shared.

It was always going to be a closely-fought contest played in heavy conditions, but despite the persistent rain throughout the week the pitch stood up well to the task.

Parkside almost took an early lead as winger Jake Southern headed for the corner, but on hand to bundle him into touch was Harri Brown. It was the home side who went ahead on seven minutes when Ryan Johnston slotted over a penalty goal for an offence in the tackle.

A sweeping attack nearly added to the tally after Baines, Brown and Sharp all linked, but when trying to part to winger Matt Bamber a Parkside hand got in the way.

A counter-attack saw Buxton break downfield parting to impressive loose forward Nickle Waite but a crunching Chris Reid tackle halted his progress.

Then a fine raid from Parkside across the field and back, saw Ryan Medley touch down in the corner, only for a forward pass to be ruled.

Parkside nudged into a narrow lead on the half-hour when good approach work saw the ball in the hands of Field. He prised open a gap and went in for a good try from 20 yards out.

However, from his kick to the left of the posts Waite sent the ball wide of the target – a miss which was to prove costly.

Dalton then piled on the pressure, Nathan Park and Johnston both going close before the tackles ran out.

As half-time approached Zac Pearson went down the wing only for Luke Medley to haul him down.

The second half was barely two minutes old when pressure paid off for the South Leeds side as Waite went in at the corner, but Field failed to convert.

On 48 minutes dissent after being adjudge to have knocked on saw Hunslet hooker Ben Thorpe sent to the bin as he kicked the ball away in anger.

Within two minutes Dalton were narrowing the deficit to 6-8 when a forceful run from Ryan Miller set up the raid for Johnston to throw out a long pass into the arms of Nathan Park who touched down.

It was nip-and-tuck as the half progressed and on 67 minutes Dalton regained the lead when a delayed Johnston pass put Scott Beattie into the gap and he went in by the posts, Johnston tagging on the extras.

Both defences stood firm until that 76th minute Raby try and Field conversion, but their joy was short lived when Sharp dealt the killer blow and two important points for Dalton.