The Yellamen emerged victorious at Wootton Bassett after a deflected 93rd-minute strike from Joe Grant ensured all three points returned to the Racecourse.

It was enough to move Jeff Lamb’s men up to second in the table, before they eventually hit top spot on Tuesday.

Wootton Bassett welcomed the Yellamen to the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground on a sunny afternoon for the hosts’ 900th Hellenic League game.

And they set about making it a memorable one for themselves as they tested Chris Grace in the Ascot goal early on.

Steve Yeardley sent a fantastic cross in from the right-wing but Dan Bailey’s first touch wasn’t up to scratch with the goal gaping.

It was all Wootton Bassett in the early stages but they were caught by a clinical counter-attack from the visitors that provided the first goal of the game.

Joe Gritt showed great tenacity to beat a couple of men in midfield before releasing Jesse Wilson, who skipped away from the defence to fire home the opening goal.

Ascot started to dominate for a brief period after the goal and should’ve been 2-0 up when Jermaine Roche missed with a deft lob from inside the box.

But the striker made up for it moments later when he was presented with another opportunity, which this time he took clinically.

Ben Mitchell in the hosts’ goal miskicked his clearance to the feet of Roche and he made no mistake to make it 2-0.

It looked like a comfortable afternoon for the Yellamen at this point and they went close to wrapping the game up when Leon Yarnie forced a fine save out of Mitchell from distance, before Roche was denied by the Bassett keeper.

It remained 2-0 until half-time but any thoughts of a comfortable second-half seeing out the game with little stress for Ascot was ended almost instantly.

Yeardley reduced the arrears just minutes into the second period when he volleyed home a rebound after Grace had pushed the ball onto the bar.

With the game in the balance, Roche twice went close when he hit the crossbar and then forced a fine save out of Mitchell.

It seemed like Ascot had weathered the storm and were heading for all three points but in the 87th minute, the hosts looked to have salvaged a draw.

Even Mitchell was up for the hosts corner as Scott Walduck’s cross caused panic and Yeardley was on hand to head home for Bassett.

The goal sparked wild celebrations on the pitch and in the stands but there was more drama to come in added time.

With just moments remaining, Rob Saunders delivered a fantastic cross that caused a melee in the area.

Daryl McLean swung and missed before the ball fell to Grant who drilled it goalwards, with a deflection taking it past the hapless Mitchell to give Ascot all three points in dramatic circumstances.

The referee blew for full-time shortly after to signal full-time on an exhilarating game and Lamb’s men celebrated grabbing all three points.

On Tuesday, first-half goals from Yarnie and Roche were enough to give the Yellamen all three points, in a scrappy affair.

It took just one minute for the hosts to take the lead as Yarnie received the ball on the edge of the box and cut inside onto his left foot, curling the ball into the top right-hand corner.

Holyport weren’t daunted by their poor start and soon created chances of their own, with Jamie West twice forcing Grace into a smart save.

But Ascot looked dangerous every time they went forward and Roche soon made it 2-0 when he tapped in from a yard after Yarnie’s shot was blocked.

The Yellamen were rarely threatened after that and saw the game out for a comfortable 2-0 win, which makes it seven wins in eight for Jeff Lamb’s men as they moved to the summit.

They travel to Shrivenham on Saturday (3pm) looking to continue their form.