Market Drayton told to learn and go again

Davies' side go to high-flying Shaw Lane Aquaforce tomorrow after a thrilling 2-2 draw against Coalville on Tuesday night.

Two injury-time goals were a stunning finale to an entertaining clash at Greenfields as Town's young guns pushed a side chasing promotion from Evo-Stik First Division South.

In their first meeting, Drayton turned the form book upside down and were desperately unlucky to draw 0-0 after hitting the post twice and then rattling the bar in three separate incidents.

An even bigger upset seemed on the cards, with 93 minutes on Tuesday's clock.

Ravens' excellent goalkeeper Sean Bowles could only fingertip Cohen Bramall's low shot inside his own post for what seemed a certain 2-1 Town winner.

But, cruelly, the very enthusiasm and exuberance that had earned Drayton that goal was also their undoing.

With many of Town's youngsters still on cloud nine, two Coalville substitutes fashioned a dramatic equaliser.

It was the oldest one-two in the book, Aaron Hooton racing clear on the left and hoisting over a deep cross for Luke Smithson to ram in at the far post.

Davies said: "It really hurt to see their second goal go in seconds after celebrating what seemed a certain winner, but they'll learn and go again.

"We've got to take a lot of positives from the way we played, especially in that second-half.

"Again, we held one of the league's best sides and biggest clubs with great financial resources. They had more backroom staff than we had subs."

It had taken concentrated outfield effort and some confident interceptions by goalkeeper Ash Rawlins and, it has to be said, a little luck.

That limited Coalville to their interval lead of a single goal, headed bravely by Josh Raven in a 17th-minute goalmouth scramble.

But by the 65th minute, when Jeff Watkins came up with an equally courageous equaliser after great work by Michael MacKintosh, on his home starting debut, it was game on.

Remarkably, it all ended in Town's fifth successive drawn game – but, as in last Saturday's 1-1 at Newcastle Town, it certainly wasn't dull.

Town are at home again next Tuesday against Stocksbridge Park Steels, the side they lost to in the first game of the season.