Johannesburg - Bottom-of-the-log Black Leopards gained a valuable point in their bid to avoid relegation when they scored a 92nd-minute equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Bloemfontein Celtic at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Wednesday night.

Leopards took their points tally to 11 to equal that of second-bottom Jomo Cosmos, but still occupy the critical wooden spoon position by virtue of an inferior goal-difference.

But on a steamy, nervy evening of high emotions it looked a lot worse for Leopards when they were reduced to 10 men in the 81st minute when defender Humphrey Khoza was sent off following a second yellow card offence at a time when Celtic appeared to be sitting pretty with a 2-1 lead.

The last-gasp equaliser for Leopards was scored by Joshua Obaja following a swerving corner by Thomas Madimba with two minutes of the additional four minutes completed.

Leopards were never ahead throughout the tense proceedings and found themselves trailing in the 38th minute when Celtic's gangling Mulomowandau Mathoho rose above a packed goalmouth of players to head the ball into the corner of the net.

And while the battling home team secured a 50th-minute equaliser through Kingston Nkhatha, they were in deep trouble again when the darting Letladi Madubanya restored Celtic's lead in the 73rd minute.

A combination of panic and desperation filtered into Leopards' play after this setback and with Celtic probing to make the three points safe with a third goal, Khoza's sending-off seemed to have sealed the issue.

Instead the cornered Leopards fought valiantly with 10 men, with Obaja emerging the match-saver - and then with the home side re-invigorated, they came close to gaining a last-minute winner as well.

“It was a brave performance by my players,” said Leopards coach Vladislav Heric. “It demonstrated we will not surrender our Premier League status without a fight.”

The Serbian coach was on the bench with a cloud hanging over his head after the PSL Disciplinary Committee had ruled earlier in the week that he had to pay African Warriors R320 000 for leaving the National First Division club in November to rejoin Leopards before his contract had expired.

Heric said he would appeal the PSL decision to Safa and claimed Warriors had given him consent to move to Leopards.

“They even wished me the best of luck and said they understood me moving to the Premier League,” he added. “Now they have done a turnaround and left me wondering where I can find R320 000 in a matter of 30 days.” - Sapa

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