Lichfield’s second string came from 4-2 down with six minutes remaining to earn a share of the points in a entertaining game of eight goals in their opening league game of the season.
City started the brighter with James Lawson going close with a header and Leon Morgan firing wide.
Lichfield’s opening dominance paid off after 12 minutes when Matty Gough was tripped inside the area and skipper Tom Gibson comfortably fired home the penalty to put his side into a deserved early lead.
City continued to have the vast majority of the possesion, Gough firing straight at the keeper in a one on one situation.
But the game was turned on it’s head in a minute of madness by the home defence. Confusion between Danny Reeves and keeper Scott Hamilton resulted in Chris Trantor finishing with an easy lob to put the visitors on level terms. Barely 20 seconds later Sam Buckle gave away possesion on the edge of his box to allow Ian Maddox to tap into an empty net and give Northfield an unexpected lead on 40 minutes.
A stunned City got back on level terms on the stroke of half-time when a Gibson free kick was nodded in by Lawson to put Lichfield on level terms at the break.
The second half saw the hosts start brightly again only to fall behind when Trantor converted his second after keeper Hamilton fumbled on the hour to put the visitors 3-2 ahead.
Northfield’s lead was extended on 75 minutes when the impressive Trantor completed his hat-trick with a rising drive that flew into the top corner.
City’s second string were in dissaray but were handed a life-line when defender Reeves powered a header in from a corner to reduce the arrears with six minutes remaining.
Lichfield piled forward in the closing minutes and there never say die attitude was rewarded when 16-year-old debutant Ryan Baker’s inswinging corner was met by man-of-the-match Lawson who fired home a bullet header to earn City a share of the spoils.
Paul Holt’s side will be looking to build on their first point of the season when they travel to Coleshill Town Reserves on Saturday (August 27), kick-off 3pm.
Elsewhere, Lichfield City’s first team picked up a 1-1 draw at Archdale.