RUSTHALL ended their season with a crowd-pleasing thriller after what has been a difficult campaign ending in relegation from the Southern Counties East League Premier Division.
Rusthall conceded after 10 minutes after a home player was pushed from behind inside the visitors’ penalty area.
The assistant referee raised his flag and the players stopped but no penalty was awarded, and Tarik Ibrahim took advantage to score.
In the 31st minute Charley Clover received the ball wide on the right, beat his man and crossed for James Miles to smash in the equaliser.
Rusthall were trying to play out the half when the defence was dispossessed by Ryan Freeman, who ran on and scored.
That gave the home side a 2-1 lead at half-time. The second half started with Rusthall on the offensive and in the 53rd minute Clover beat the offside trap and ran through to beat the Sheppey goalkeeper with a low drive.
Rusthall took the lead for the first time when Clover scored again the 58th minute, floating a ball over the goalkeeper onto the inside of the post and into the net.
It was not to last as Jono Richardson headed in for Sheppey from a corner, Rusthall having looked vulnerable to these set-pieces during the second half.
Rusthall looked the more likely to find the winner and in added time Raul Powell-Downey broke free, beat the goalkeeper and shot tantalisingly wide.
