An eight-goal thriller saw Chasetown rescue a point in the dying moments of a sensational 4-4 draw with Nantwich Town on Tuesday, writes Dave Goddard.

For the third match in a row the Scholars fell behind early, a sixth minute cross from Zak Foster finding Ashley Carter who reacted quickly to put the Dabbers ahead.

Nantwich came into the match on the back of three straight defeats, but their lead was doubled on the half hour when Price blocked a shot from Ben Mills only for the latter to be fouled by Richard Teesdale in the area. Mills stepped up to take the kick and sent Price the wrong way for Nantwich’s second.

Chasetown enjoyed few chances early on but pulled one back on 41 minutes when Alex Steadman broke away on the right hand edge of the area, striding forward to hammer the ball past Dabbers keeper John Brain for his second Scholars goal.

The visitors continued to show good form as the second half began, but the game changed around on 57 minutes when Gary Birch replaced Gary Hay in the Chasetown attack. Three minutes later the striker headed on to Stride who forced Brain into a full-stretch save, before on 62 minutes Birch crossed to Ben Jevons who headed home an equaliser.

The score stayed level for just three minutes, however, before Mills fired his second and Nantwich’s third from an acute angle inside Price’s near post as the visitors began pushing harder for a maiden victory of the season.

Mills came close to his hat-trick on 69 minutes but Price was on hand to save, but it was the Scholars who were next to find the target, Birch again the man who set up the goal as his pass found Steadman who fired left-footed into the roof of the net.

Both sides were at full pace in the closing stages as they dug into their well of ability, John Branch sending a cross onto the roof of the net and Birch just shooting wide, but with three minutes of normal time remaining it was Nantwich who struck, substitute Mike Lennon firing a low shot into the corner of the net.

The Dabbers seemed set for their first win of the 2011-12 season but they reckoned without the Scholars’ resource and determination as in the 90th minute Mark Branch’s cross was met by Stride and the former Burton Albion star looped a header over Brain for his first Chasetown goal to draw the scores level once again.

The home side could have snatched a winner in stoppage time, but second half hero Birch headed over the bar from Mark Branch’s corner and the honours were shared in a hugely entertaining game.

Chasetown: Price, J Branch, M Branch, Slater, Stride, Teesdale (Cohen, 70 mins), Steadman, Sedgemore,
Hay (Birch, 57 mins), Perrow, Jevons

Other Subs: Westwood, Farquharson, Parsons (not used)