PAUL Carden admits his Warrington Town side “robbed” Lancaster City of two points in today’s Evo-Stik Premier Division clash.

Tony Gray’s last-gasp free kick rescued a barely-deserved point for Yellows, who rise to third in the table.

READ > How Yellows staged another late, late show

The visitors had dominated much of the game and looked set to return north with all three points thanks to Brad Carsley’s goal, which came shortly after Adam Hughes had been sent off for Town.

Carden admits his side were second-best and credited goalkeeper Tony McMillan, who produced several good saves to keep the game scoreless.

“We’ve robbed a point,” he said.

“As the game was dying away I said to Bees (Mark Beesley, assistant manager) and Adam (Carden) that Lancaster have deserved this.

“Tony has made two really good saves and we’ve headed one off the line.

“They were the better team but that is the kind of thing that goes against you when you’re battling and goes for you when you’re up there.

“It’s an unbelievable free kick from Tony Gray. We didn’t deserve a point but we’re going to take it.”

With one of the game’s final kicks, Gray rattled a 30-yard free kick into the top corner to send Cantilever Park into delirium.

Carden says his teammates have a lot to thank the veteran striker for – particularly Hughes, who came back into the side after a two-game absence only to be shown a red card for kicking the ball at a grounded Lancaster player.

“Tony’s scored really important goals, not just for us but for whoever he’s played for,” he said.

“As soon as it leaves his foot, you think the keeper is struggling and then it nestles in the top corner.

“I’m not too pleased with how we’ve played because we’ve had five or six really below-par performances.

“When you get that, more often than not you end up with a defeat but we’ve pulled it out today.

“We’ve got a positive point and it keeps us above two points a game which is what it’s going to take.

“It was a stupid thing to do from Adam. You can’t defend it.

“It was his chance to get back in the team but he’s opened the door for Alex Whittle, who could probably feel hard done by to get left out, to get back in the team.”