CASTLE KING CHRIS HAS FINAL SAY

CHRIS Smith bagged a brace as Newcastle

Town held off Colwyn Bay in a nail-biting 3-3 draw in the game of the day.

Jack Van Der Laan hammered home a rebound midway through the first half for the visitors and Smith made it 2-0 just three minutes later as his effort on the turn snuck inside the far post.

That sparked a turnaround from the hosts, who were level before half-time, Danny Andrews scoring a screamer from long range into the top corner before Tom McCrady’s 25-yard free-kick levelled things up on the stroke of halftime.

Colwyn then took the lead as the two James’ combined, Ellison crossing to Barrigan, who tucked home to complete the three-goal comeback five minutes into the second half.

Barely five more minutes had passed before Smith added his second when the hosts failed to clear from a freekick and despite both sides having good chances to win the game, the 192 spectators saw a stalemate.

The result leaves Colwyn 10th in the table but a point outside of the play-offs positions whilst Newcastle find themselves three points behind in 13th.

The biggest shock of the day saw scramble was tucked home by Jerome Wright and the same man doubled the lead after he was left unmarked following a clever corner routine.

The hosts responded after the half-time interval, with Scott Harries’ cross-cum-shot finding Shaun Gardner, who halved the deficit ten minutes into the half.

The visitors thought they’d leave with the points but Danny McGahon’s cross was diverted into his own net by Kyle Jacobs.

Ramsbottom could have won it in the closing stages – however, Nathan Brown fired wide while Gardner saw his goalbound shot blocked as the game ended all square in yet another score draw.

Unsurprisingly, the league’s bottom two sides, who fell down the table following Skelmersdale’s victory, also played out a score draw.

However, the single goal each side managed to score was pretty much the only piece of quality they had managed to carve out as Chasetown and

Clitheroe drew 1-1. Jake Lovatt managed to score for Chasetown when he volleyed Sam Luke’s long-throw, which was headed across goal by a defender into the net.

Meanwhile, Clitheroe ensured that both teams would remain rooted to the foot of the table with five points apiece when Josh Gregory’s trickery helped him drive to the beline and cross back to Andreas Bianga for a composed finish into the bottom corner.

Neither side could find a winning goal.