Newtown 3 Bala Town 3

HONOURS ended even in a humdinger of a JD Cymru Premier clash between Newtown and Bala Town at Latham Park tonight.

Both sides went into the game seeking to close the gap on leaders TNS who would go on to lose for the first time in the league this season at Aberystwyth.

However neither the Robins or Lakesiders were able to fully capitalise in a six goal thriller.

The tone was set early with Lufumpa Mwandwe scythed down on the edge of the area by Oliver Southern inside the opening two minutes with Craig Williams' free-kick dipping just over.

Dave Jones was kept busy at the other end to deny former Robin Steve Leslie after 17 minutes before producing another smart save to deny ex-Wales international Dave Edwards from Lassana Mendes' 30th minute cross.

The Robins lost Callum Roberts and Shane Sutton to injury in the first-half but despite the set-backs the home side continued to probe for an opening.

The hosts looked to have forced a breakthrough just before the break only for Nick Rushton's effort to be ruled out for an infringement on goalkeeper Alex Ramsay.

Bala led six minutes into the second-half with Nathan Peate heading home Anthony Kay's cross.

However just two minutes later a mistake from Ramsay saw him dispossessed on the edge of the area by Mwandwe who squared for Jordan Evans to slot into an empty net.

It was opposite number Jones who was left red faced five minutes later when a left wing cross shot from Mendes bobbled beyond his reach and into the net.

Newtown stuck to their task and Latham Park was rocking when Rushton curled an unstoppable shot over Ramsay and into the net from the edge of the area with 15 minutes remaining.

Five minutes later Evans drilled home his second after good work by Rushton to work Mwandwe's left wing cross into his path.

However it was not to be and Bala snatched an equaliser with five minutes remaining with Peate left unmarked to head home Paul Rutherford's cross as both sides were left disappointed with a point.

NEWTOWN: Jones, Taylor, Roberts (Arsan 23), Sutton (Edwards 40), Rushton, Evans, Davies (Rowland 77), C Williams, Hughes, Walker. Subs: M Williams, Breese, Cotterill, Thomas.

BALA: Ramsay, Smith, Peate, Stephens, Mendes, Leslie, Rutherford, Edwards (Sang 59), Bauress (Walker-Rice 82), Southern (Kay 46), Shannon. Subs: Lloyd, Woods