Striker Phikolethu Spelman scored a last second goal to earn second placed Santos a nail biting 2-2 draw against 10-man SuperSport United in a drama filled Premiership clash played at the Super Stadium on Tuesday night.

United, the defending champions were reduced to 10 men for the second match in succession. Referee Peter Mabuza had United coach Gavin Hunt hopping mad when he sent off his captain Bongani Khumalo after the United skipper and Santos keeper Tshepo Motsoeneng were involved in a scuffle.

However, it looked as though the former United player Motsoeneng was the aggressor. But Mabuza showed Khumalo the red card after consulting with his assistant. That was also strange as Mabuza was closer to the incident. Why did the match official have to consult his assistant? It smacked of poor refereeing. Or else Khumalo could have been sent off for dissent.

Last week at the same venue United had defender Tsietsi Mahoa sent off during the champions 3-0 rout of Orlando Pirates last Wednesday night.

SuperSport had a slight edge in an entertaining opening half.

But Santos impressed by the way they hit the home side on the counter attack. Spelman wasted a great chance to open Santos' account in the 14thminute when he found himself in possession inside the United penalty area and instead of laying off the ball to a better placed teammate he decided to go for glory and was disposed.

But Santos got the breakthrough in the 18th minute when Graham King scored with a wicked free kick that beat the United defence and keeper Emille Baron at the far post.

But the goal woke up the champions and they showed what champions are made of when they hit straight back and had Santos defence under a lot of pressure.

It took only four minutes for United to draw level when teenager Thandani Ntshumayelo picked up a pass from Glen Salmon and fired home a brilliant equaliser from an acute angle giving Motsoeneng no chance in the 22ndminute.

Spelman shot over the crossbar in the 41st minute as Santos started pushing hard for another goal before the break. King missed a sitter from close range when he collected a Spelman pass and with defender Bongani Khumalo slipping in trying to clear the ball, King had an open goal but he blasted well over the crossbar from close range on 45 minutes.

But two minutes into the second half it was United's turn to miss a sitter when Anthony Laffor under no pressure collected a clever back pass from Klate but the Liberian striker showed little composure and also blasted his shot high over the crossbar.

But then came the controversial sending off could have spoilt the match. But again Hunt showed that he is ready to coach Bafana Bafana after the 2010 World Cup when he opted to go for broke and that tactic paid off when Morgan Gould made it 2-1 with a sizzling header in the 70th minute.

Gould, the hard working central defender showed what an asset he is to United when he weighed in with his fifth goal of the season when he thudded home a cross from Ntshumayelo giving Motsoeneng no chance in the 70th minute.

United had Santos rattled and at the end of the match it was United who looked to be playing with a man extra not Santos.

However, with seconds remaining of the referee's optional time Spelman caught the tired United defence out of position and steered the equaliser into the net to give Santos a hard earned 2-2 draw.