TOM Bird claimed a dramatic last-gasp winner as Basingstoke Town overcame a series of setbacks to claim three points from their trip to Concord Rangers.

The visitors trailed twice, were forced to field top scorer Chris Flood in goal for the second half and lost Manny Williams to a late red card.

However, it was to 10 men who emerged victorious, left-back Bird firing an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area in the fourth minute of stoppage-time.

The result lifted Town up to second in the Vanarama Conference South table, level on points with leaders Havant and Waterlooville, who have played a game more.

Manager Jason Bristow named an unchanged team in Essex but it was the hosts who took the lead on 15 minutes. Joe Gardner’s cross from the left found Sam Collins at the far post and his header across goal was swept home by an unmarked Steve Cawley.

However, the lead didn’t last long as Town found an equaliser on 22 minutes. Good work from Shaun McAuley and Flood resulted in Liam Enver-Marum getting clear down the right channel. The angle was against him but the striker’s powerful shot found the roof of the net.

The hosts enjoyed a spell of pressure, with Lewis Taaffe seeing his shot blocked and James White curling a shot narrowly wide, but Town responded, with Louie Soares and Simon Dunn both forcing decent saves out of home goalkeeper Aaron Lennox.

It was becoming clear that Town goalkeeper Stuart Moore was struggling with some sort of problem as the half progressed and he was in clear discomfort when saving Collins’ long-range shot just before the break.

At half-time, and with Moore suffering badly with stomach cramps, the decision was taken to substitute the goalkeeper, with striker Flood volunteering to take his place between the posts.

The change resulted in a reshuffle, with Jamie Brown coming on to anchor the midfield and Williams moving into attack alongside Enver-Marum.

Concord regained the lead on 53 minutes as Cawley was again left unmarked to score after Taaffe and Collins had combined down the right.

Having taken the lead, the hosts chose to sit back and defend, inviting pressure. Williams went close to equalising before Enver-Marum did level the scores with 20 minutes to go, heading home Bird’s fine cross.

White shot too close to Flood and Soares’ low shot was well held by the home goalkeeper as the game moved towards a conclusion, but Town were dealt a further blow three minutes from time.

The assistant referee reported that Williams had spat towards Concord left-back Danny Glozier off the ball and referee Lee Betts had no option other than to show the striker a straight red card.

At that point, the visitors would probably have settled for a point, but Bird had other ideas. Picking the ball up on the left wing, he cut inside and unleashed a powerful low shot from the edge of the area, finding the bottom corner of the net to claim the winner.

Basingstoke are back in action tomorrow night, hosting big-spending Whitehawk at The Soccer AM Stadium (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Brighton side sit eighth in the table after losing 4-3 at home to Maidenhead United on Saturday and could be without former Town midfielder Sergio Torres, who picked up an injury at the weekend.

Concord Rangers: Lennox, Walker, Glozier, Woodyard, King (c), Fry, Gardner (sub Miles 80min), White, Taaffe (sub Stokes 75min), Collins (sub Ogilvie 75min), Cawley. Subs (not used): Lampe, Alexander.

Basingstoke Town: Moore (sub Brown 45min), Smart, Bird, Soares (sub Rice 88min), Gasson, Ray, Dunn, McAuley, Enver-Marum (sub Macklin 90min), Williams. Subs (not used): Jenkinson, Argent.

Attendance: 216