WINSFORD fans will remember this game for a long time.

Unfortunately Blues' best performance of the season so far was wrecked by seven minutes of insanity as Town cruelly robbed their hosts of a fine victory.

Theirs was a remarkable recovery.

Les Miranda's hat-trick seemed set to earn Joe Gibiliru's men a welcome win against one of the title favourites but, leading 3-1 with seven minutes to play, they contrived to lose the match.

Castle danger man Richard Minor was given too much space, to score from range on 83 minutes.

Five minutes later the same player levelled the scores when, again unchallenged, he converted from the edge of the box to level the scores.

A minute later Newcastle wrapped up an unlikely victory when substitute Ben Mills was allowed to drift in from the left and fire into the bottom corner.

Before that the hosts had dominated.

They scored inside the first minute when Miranda netted from the narrowest of angles.

On 17 minutes he doubled his tally, converting from close range when a shellshocked Newcastle defence failed to clear.

The rest of the half was one-way traffic as Miranda chased a hat-trick and the rest of the forwards looked to get in on the act.

Only efforts from Dean Gillick and Andy Bourne caused Blues' keeper Michael Langley any concern.

The second half started much the same with efforts from Mischa Showers and Chris Sheppard going close but on 62 minutes the visitors pulled a goal back.

In a rare venture forward Minor, a player eyed by several Football League clubs, broke down the right and crossed for Simon Eldershaw to head home.

Any thought of a comeback appeared to be cancelled from the kick-off when Tony Sayer's cross found Miranda lurking at the far post to score from close range.

Then came Castle's great escape.

STAR MAN: Les Miranda
BLUES: Langley, Sayer, Duckworth, Barnes, Callaghan, Bluck, Ridler, Showers, Connell (Mason 68), Miranda, Sheppard
Attendance: 115