The clash of the Southern League Premier Division Central top scorers went in favour of the hosts as Spalding United were held to a 2-2 draw at Halesowen on Saturday.
Two goals from Halesowen’s Jason Coley put him on 11 for the season, one ahead of Tulips pair Bart Cybulski and Jack Roberts.
Liam Moore headed the Tulips in front on the hour mark crashing the ball home off the bar from Alfie Bendle’s deep free-kick.
Cowley levelled from a tight angle in the 79th minute after new loan signing Tosin Olapade was caught in possession.
Roberts looked to have settled things with a stunning 30-yard free-kick with six minutes to go but, six minutes into stoppage time, a trip saw Spalding penalised and Cowley stepped up to level from the spot.
Cowley was then sent off, along with Moore after the two tangled. It was a straight red for Moore, while the home striker was shown a second yellow card.
Assistant manager Chris Plummer felt a draw was probably a fair result overall but was disappointed to concede such a late equaliser.
“When you concede late on after the lads had put in a hell of shift out there to then draw 2-2 was very disappointing.
“You always look at the goals conceded and think what we could have done better to stop those opportunities.
“They put us under a lot of pressure at the end and put a lot of players forward. On the whole, we defended our box well.
“We did a lot of work in the week on being more resilient and more difficult to break down and you did see some of that in our defending and organisation.”
As well as 20-year-old Olapade, who joined on loan from League Two side Salford City, there was also a debut for goalkeeper Dan Wilks (29) signed from National League North side Bedford Town.
The former Watford and St Mirren academy player has also turned out for Maldon & Tiptree, Whitehawk, Welling United, Billericay and St Ives and is the fourth man to wear the Tulips’ gloves this season, following Aaron Chapman, Paul Jones and James Dadge.
Spalding were back in action on Tuesday and chalked up a solid 2-0 victory over Kettering Town at the Sir Halley Stewart Field.
Moore scored his second goal in as many games with another crashing header after eight minutes.
The Poppies had plenty of chances to level but the points were sealed in the 78th minute when former Kettering player Lewis White’s header was turned in at the far post by Roberts for his 11th goal of the season – but still one behind Cowley, who got a stoppage time goal for Halesowen against Alvechurch on the same evening.
Spalding continue to play catch-up with their home fixtures after the delayed start to their Sir Halley Stewart Field campaign due to the laying of a new artificial pitch. On Saturday they welcome in-form Needham Market, with another Suffolk side, Bury Town, heading north west on Tuesday.
Tulips (v Halesowen): Wilks, Olapade, Bondswell, Moore, White, Lawlor, Thompson (McCammon), Bendle, Roberts (Blythe), Cybulski, Ceesay. Subs: Sani, Hart, Nicholson.
Attendance: 1,217.
Tulips (v Kettering): Wilks, Olapade, Hart, Moore, White, Lawlor (Thompson), Roberts, Bendle, Sani (McCammon), Cybulski (Sembie-Ferris), Ceesay. Subs: Bondswell, Blythe. Attendance: 534.
