A WONDERFULLY entertaining six goal thriller ended with honours even at Shawe View on Tuesday night.

The visitors belied their lowly league position throughout and stormed ahead in the 13th minute when David McTiernan cracked a glorious drive from 25 yards that flew over Tom Read and into the roof of the net.

However, five minutes later Mark Robinson blocked a Michael Oates volley with his arms and Shelton Payne stepped forward to place the resultant penalty past Shane Bland and make it 1-1.

Whitby resumed control of the midfield and created numerous chances, Liam Shepherd finding himself free on the left but being denied by a fine block by Read, Dale Hopson blasting a volley from 30 yards that was tipped over and then the same player latching onto a weak back pass by Payne but once again being thwarted by the giant frame of Read.

Craig Farrell drove inches wide from 10 yards as Whitby dominated and it was completely against the run of play that Trafford took the lead in the 35th minute when a slick move down the centre released Michael Oates and he coolly placed the ball past the onrushing Bland.

Oates almost struck again with a volley at the back post but the visitors levelled in the 40th minute when poor defending allowed Farrell to force the ball home at the back post.

And seconds before the interval Farrell made it 3-2 when he steered the ball home from close range after another excellent move by the visitors.

The superb tempo to the game continued at the start of the second half with Oates shooting against the keeper in the 50th minute and Chris Palmer screwing a shot wide from the edge of the penalty area.

In the 72nd minute the industrious Oates levelled for the home side when he rounded off another sweeping move with a simple tap in at the back post.

Both sides were piling forward in search of further goals with Payne curling in a low drive that was held by Bland and Matthew Brown firing just over from 20 yards.

Payne had strong appeals for a penalty turned down by referee Jackson and substitute Simon Hackney saw his crisp effort saved by