Fightback Follows Fightback In 4-4 Thriller by Jeremy Ruane In a match which had more twists and turns in it than would be found in an Agatha Christie thriller, Three Kings United and Melville United fought out an enthralling 4-4 draw at Keith Hay Park on April 15, to maintain their respective unbeaten starts to the Bluebird Premier League season. In all honesty, it's a point Three Kings scarcely deserved, particularly on their first half showing. But in battling back from a 3-1 half-time deficit to lead 4-3 late in the second spell, George Ritchie's side indicated with this performance that, when the championship's up for grabs late on in the season, they should be right in the thick of the chase. So, too, Melville, although coach Steve Williams was far from impressed with the way his team threw away a two-goal lead, having had the points all but in the bag at the break. As it was, they almost left empty-handed, only for the league's leading goalscorer, Mark Cossey, to come up with the goal of the game four minutes from time. But there were seven others prior to this marvellous strike, along with a plethora of other openings which, on another day, could well have found the back of the net. Melville 'keeper Greg Hobson thwarted the first of these in the fourth minute, a twenty-five yard drive from Arben Syljemane who, throughout the first half, looked decidedly ill-at-ease with the midfield role handed him for this match. Mind, he wasn't alone in this regard - there were others on the park in Three Kings colours who were found wanting when the pressure was on, a notable exception to this charge being Noel Kilkenny, who was trojan-like throughout this gripping clash. Melville responded to Syljemane's shot with the opening goal barely sixty seconds later, a classic case of "Mine! ... Yours! ... Aargh!!" which Nikolai Helwig punished mercilessly. Cossey was the architect of the chaos which ensued between Greg Brand and Daniel Eisenhut, his through ball resulting in a collision between the two players, and a tap-in for Helwig. The visitors were quick to seize upon this initiative, bringing out the best in Brand on numerous occasions in the next twenty minutes, most notably from a Cossey free-kick in the ninth minute, and a Grant Cooper shot on the run in the 25th minute. Cooper and his Three Kings opposite, Fraser Scott-Morrison, were making more than their fair share of in-roads down their respective flanks, but the home side were struggling to penetrate in other areas of the park, the closest they came to scoring in the first half hour being a defensive mix-up between Ross Morley and the inexperienced Hobson, brought about by the pace of Willie Osborne. Jake Tobin was unable to make the most of this opening, although in fairness to him, well-performed Melville defender Marcus Traill certainly made his presence fely when the fit-again striker homed in on the loose ball. Against the run of play, Three Kings levelled matters in the 31st minute. Alf Manuel's shot ricocheted off Traill's head to Scott-Morrison, whose drive was parried by Hobson. Osborne, following up, crashed the ball home from the tightest of angles, via the legs of the flailing goalkeeper. Their tails suddenly up, the home side looked to make the most of their change in fortune, only for Traill to intervene with a splendid diving header to clear the danger posed by Tobin in the 33rd minute, after Osborne had beaten Hobson in the race to latch onto Tobin's flick. But Melville quickly knocked the wind out of Three Kings' sails, restoring their advantage in the 38th minute. Malcolm Rowe's early through ball caught the home side's defence on the hop, and Matthew West ran through before lobbing the advancing Brand - 2-1. But for the giant goalkeeper, Melville's lead would have been 3-1 in the 43rd minute, West thwarted in fine style by the shot-stopper, after Cossey and Cooper had teamed up to good effect on the left. The visitors had but a minute to wait to bring about the half-time score, however, referee Hengo Sioneloto pointing to the penalty spot without hesitation as Helwig was brought to earth by Cameron Mitchell's despairing tackle. Up stepped Cossey, to make the scoreboard sorry reading for the local faithful at the break. A daring half-time double substitution by George Ritchie saw the seemingly out-of-sorts pairing of Syljemane and Manuel replaced by the youthful exuberance of Gray Borrell and Alistair Alpe in the centre of midfield, and slowly but surely, the young 'uns, along with the tireless Kilkenny, earned the home side a share of the engine-room dominance which had been the visitors' pleasure for much of the first half. Another substitution also played into Three Kings' hands, the enforced departure of Morley, following a clash of heads, offering the chance for young Joseph Sowerby to stake a place for regular selection in Steve Williams' team. His inexperience contributed to a dramatic about-turn in the destiny of the points, although not initially. For Melville continued to press in search of the goal which would almost certainly see off the incumbent league leaders. When one came, however, it was in the visitors' net on the hour mark. Route one worked for Three Kings on this occasion, Brand's raking clearance allowed to bounce by the visiting defenders, much to Tobin's delight, his volley flying past Hobson into the bottom right-hand corner of the net - 3-2. As the Melville defence struggled to come to terms with this sudden change in circumstances, Three Kings looked to make the most of their bewilderment. How Tobin, Osborne and Kilkenny failed to capitalise on Neil Doherty's driven cross just seconds after the latest goal is still open to debate, but there was no mistaking the fact the home side was now in the ascendancy. And they made it count, with two goals in the next ten minutes. Brand, Tobin and Kilkenny combined to release Osborne in the 64th minute, and the speedster was sent sprawling by Traill in the penalty area. After dusting himself down, Osborne extracted the ultimate revenge from the penalty spot - 3-3. Make that 4-3 to Three Kings in the 74th minute. Melville failed to adequately clear a Doherty free-kick, Borrell squandering a great chance on the far post in the ensuing scramble. Alpe was on hand to pick up the pieces, however, picking out Tobin with a measured pass. The fit-again striker quickly sized up the situation, and planted a scorching drive past the unsighted Hobson from the edge of the penalty area to give the league leaders the lead for the first time in the contest. Back came Melville, only for Brand to save at West's feet seconds later. Three Kings retorted within two minutes, Scott-Morrison finding Kilkenny in support down the right. The midfielder, whose performance fully deserved a goal, sought to provide it with a swerving cross-shot struck with the outside of the right foot which arced towards the far post. Osborne leapt high to meet it, but not high enough, his header clearing the crossbar as Melville visibly reeled in the face of Three Kings' onslaught. The one player in Melville's ranks capable of turning the game back in his side's favour duly came up with the goods four minutes from time, and his goal was well worth the wait. After working a slick one-two with Rowe, Cossey unleashed a snorter, his curling twenty-yarder arcing around the diving figure of Brand and just inside the far post to level matters once more - 4-4. All this, and still time for a winner to be struck. In some ways, it would have been a pity had their been a loser in this well-contested affair, and Hobson's save from Osborne, at point-blank range in stoppage time following Tobin's teasing cross to the far post, ensured that pity would be spared on this occasion. 4-4 - great stuff!! Three Kings:     Brand; Doherty (booked, 65), Mitchell, Eisenhut, Hill; Scott-Morrison (Hall, 89), Manuel (Borrell, 46), Kilkenny, Syljemane (Alpe, 46); Osborne, Tobin Melville:           Hobson; Watson (booked, 66), Traill (booked, 73), Morley (Sowerby, 50); Helwig (Scott, 83), Rowe, Cossey, de Souza, Cooper; West, Nixon Referee:            Hengo Sioneloto Scoring:            Three Kings: W. Osborne (31, 64 (pen)), J. Tobin (60, 74)                          Melville: N. Helwig (5), M. West (38), M. Cossey (44 (pen), 86)