Chasetown FC won a dramatic eight-goal thriller against Market Drayton Town to end a run of five winless games.
The visitors took the lead after three minutes when Jake Bennett got the wrong side of the home defence and squared the ball to Mike O’Reilly who couldn’t miss from close range.
But Chasetown levelled when Todd Evans’ long throw-in was flicked on by Simon Brown into the box and defender Calvin Haughton steered the ball past his own goalkeeper.
Against the run of play, the Shropshire side regained the lead three minutes before the break with only their second serious attempt on goal in the first half. Aiden Haughton was in acres of space inside the Chasetown penalty area and rifled beyond John Bateman.
The home side made the worst possible start to the second half when Joe Woolley waltzed past a host of defenders and drove home.
Craig Harris’ side then turned the game on its head with three goals inside eight minutes.
On 56 minutes, Simon Brown went on a run and delicately chipped the ball over Mason Springthorpe. Five minutes later Brown got his second assist of the night teeing up leading scorer Nathan Waite who coolly slotted the ball home from 12 yards.
Brown was then tripped inside the box and made it 4-3 from the penalty spot to complete a dramatic turnaround.
Lee Butler saw his dipping shot tipped over by the visiting keeper as The Scholars looked to put daylight between themselves and their opponents.
The game-clinching fifth goal came three minutes from the end of time. After substitute Jack Lees was pulled back by Calvin Haughton – who was surprisingly only yellow carded – Brown completed his first Chasetown hat-trick with his second spot-kick of the night.
Brown was a whisker away from his fourth of the night forcing a full length save out of Springthorpe who leapt to his right to claw the ball away.
Chasetown: Bateman, Evans, Beckett, Slater, Dallison (Johnson, 51 mins), Downes, Butler, Parsons (Lees, 82 mins), Waite (Wellecomme, 74 mins), Brown, Edwards. Subs not used: Haynes, Theo Robinson.
Market Drayton Town: Springthorpe, Smith, Edmunds, McMullen, C Haughton, Irvine, Bennett, Campbell, A Haughton (O’Neill, 74 mins), O’Reilly (Whieldon, 74 mins), Woolley. Subs not used: Donaldson, Spooner, Street.
