DROITWICH Spa twice surrendered the lead in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Shawbury United on Boxing Day after easing to a 4-1 win against Ingles in their last game before Christmas.
Charlie Tilley opened the scoring for Spa before James Lemon drew the Saltmen level early in the second half and Scott Braiden-Smith restored Droitwich’s lead at Oteley Road.
However, Shawbury equalised for a second time in the final few minutes after the home side struck twice in the first half to lead at the break.
That came after Spa comfortably saw off Ingles at the King George Playing Fields as Lemon and Connor Collins scored first-half goals before Perry Moss grabbed a brace after the break.
The results mean Droitwich sit third in the Midland Football League Division One table, 18 points behind leaders Hinckley AFC with four games in-hand.
On Boxing Day, the Saltmen took the lead on 10 minutes as Tilley marked his 101st appearance for the club with the opening goal.
However, in-form Shawbury staged a first-half comeback with two quickfire goals before the break as Cody Rimmer found the net from the edge of the penalty area on 36 minutes.
And Braiden-Smith’s backpass then went underneath the boot of goalkeeper Joel Chadwick as Spa somehow found themselves a goal behind at the break.
Andy Crowther’s side equalised two minutes into the second half through Lemon before Braiden-Smith made amends for his own goal by restoring Spa’s lead on 57 minutes.
However, Shawbury claimed a share of the spoils four minutes from time through Brendon Price’s goal before United goalkeeper Max Williams produced a magnificent save in injury time to deny Spa all three points.
Against Ingles, Lemon opened the scoring after just seven minutes before Collins’s penalty doubled the home side’s lead three minutes before the break.
Ingles reduced the deficit with a penalty of their own at the start of the second half as Billy Blackshaw made no mistake from the spot.
However, Moss quickly restored Spa’s two-goal lead before later completing the scoring as the Saltmen claimed a first home win in the league since October.
