Last-ditch

The minority party made a last-ditch effort to block passage of the bills.

He fought a last-ditch battle.

The Secretary General is making a last-ditch effort to negotiate a peace treaty between the two warring factions.

Protestors rallied in a last-ditch effort to save the medical centre from closing down.

That was sort of a last-ditch effort.

Tying the knot was a last-ditch attempt to mend the relationship. Predictably, it failed.

a last-ditch attack

He sent flowers in a last-ditch effort to keep her from leaving.

Only a last-ditch tackle from Michel Salgado denied Didier Drogba after a clever through-ball from Anelka and, from the resulting corner, Ivanovic flicked the ball on for Ramires, who lashed a half-volley against the bar.

That's the warning from RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch, who has predicted that industrial action could soon spill over into other sectors of the economy, following the failure of last-ditch talks to avert the largest rail strike since 1989.