CAERNARFON Town continued their positive start to the Huws Gray Alliance season with a thrilling 3-3 draw at title rivals Rhyl.

Iwan Williams’ side were denied all three points after a dramatic ending which saw the Lilywhites fight back from 3-1 down, and the result leaves the Canaries in third spot ahead of the crunch clash with Flint Town United at The Oval on Saturday (2.30pm).

The Cofis wasted no time in opening the scoring when Danny Brookwell fired past Rory Crowther after just two minutes following good work from the mercurial Darren Thomas.

Things got even better for Williams’ men on 26 minutes when a sweeping move involving Gareth Evans and Jay Gibbs presented Thomas with an opportunity, and the forward made no mistake to double their tally.

The home side responded well to the setback and reduced the arrears on the half hour when a Tom Rowlands cross was parried into his own net by former Lilywhite Alex Ramsay.

Chances came and went for both sides in the end-to-end exchanges thereafter, but the Canaries restored their cushion after the break when Gibbs’ ferocious effort went in off the bar.

A frantic final quarter began when Gerwyn Jones headed home a Mark Connolly cross on 68 minutes, and they looked to have found a leveller when Alex Tichiner’s effort was rescued from behind the line by Ramsay, but the referee waved play on despite furious protests.

The hosts were awarded a penalty on 90 minutes after Jamie Whitehouse was felled in the box, and Connolly headed in his own rebound after Ramsay saved his spot kick.

James Bell received a red card for the home side after a last ditch foul on Brookwell as Town went in search of a winner, and Gibbs also received his marching orders in stoppage time for dissent.