KENDAL Town were held to a 3-3 draw with Droylsden at The Pye Motors Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Mintcakes, who held the lead on three separate occasions, were pegged back by an in-form Droylsden side that are one of the early-season contenders at the top of the Evostik Division One North League. Charlie Bowman scored a first half brace, but the visitors battled back through Neil Kilheeney and Jamie Frost as both teams were all square at the break.

Anthony Lynch’s well-taken strike saw Kendal go 3-2 up during the second half before Alex Frost scored from a corner as Kendal were denied all three points.

Kendal made a positive start and were 1-0 up after six minutes when Bowman capitalised on a mistake by Droylsden keeper Ritchie Branagan before finishing from close range.

However, the lead lasted just under a minute as Droylsden were awarded a penalty when Jamie Frost was tripped in the penalty area. Kilheeney stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Kendal regained the lead thirteen minutes later when man-of-the-match Connor Gaul set up Bowman who scored his second of the game after heading the ball past Branagan.

The Mintcakes, who were in the ascendency, missed a good opportunity to go 3-1 up as Bowman’s powerful drive on goal was saved at the near post by Branagan while Droylsden's Kilheeney saw his shot fly across the face of goal.

Droylsden equalised after 32 minutes when Will Kitchen made a mistake from a back pass allowing Jamie Frost to slot the ball into an empty net.

Both sides had further opportunities before half time, but Liam Caddick saw his deflected effort go for a corner while Kendal’s Danny McGahon fired wide of the far post.

Kendal created the first opportunity in the second half when Gaul’s deflected effort went for a corner after the former Colne player made a driving run into the box.

Gaul created further mayhem for the visitors defence as he saw his well placed effort clip the cross bar.

Kendal went 3-2 up in the 59th minute when Gaul set up Lynch who drilled the ball into the top corner of the net from just outside the penalty area.

They held the lead for just three minutes, however, as bad defending from a corner was punished by Alex Frost who volleyed the ball home at the far post.

The visitors pushed on and forced Kitchen to pull off two good saves to deny Jamie Frost and Danny Hall. The former Morecambe shot stopper parried away Frost's effort before pushing Hall's attempted drive away for a corner.

Droylsden were denied the win deep into stoppage time when Kendal cleared the ball off the line as the game ended all square.

Kendal Town line up: 1, Will Kitchen, 2, Mike Aspin (C), 3, Ben Thomas, 4, Paul Dawson, 5, Paul Alexander, 6, Josh Wardle, 7, Danny Mcgahon, 8, Anthony Lynch, 9, Rick Seear, 10, Charlie Bowman, 11, Connor Gaul.

Substitutes: 12, Matt Clarke, 14, Callum Hoctor, 15, Max Rothwell, 16, John Paul Stanway, 17, Callum Morris