Alton and Badshot Lea drew 3-3 in a six-goal bank holiday thriller in the Combined Counties Premier Division South.

Ed Dryden gave the hosts an early lead at Anstey Park Enclosure, but the Baggies went 3-1 up through goals from Luis Hamblin (2) and Stan Jones before Adam Poynter and Isaac Nash scored for the Brewers to ensure honours finished even.

The home side were quick out of the traps and nearly took the lead in the third minute when Alex MacAllister drove forward and slipped a neat pass through to Liam Marshall, whose right-foot shot hit the far left-hand post.

The Brewers went close again a minute later when MacAllister headed over the bar from an inviting position in the middle of the box.

Alton did take the lead on six minutes when Adam Poynter’s excellent corner was emphatically headed home by Dryden.

The Brewers nearly doubled their advantage two minutes later when Marshall’s excellent ball found Owen Tanner, who slipped a short pass through to Zach Rugman, whose right-foot shot was well saved at close range by Baggies keeper Harry White.

The visitors created their first chance of the game in the ninth minute when Hamblin’s excellent ball sent Jones through on goal, but Brewers keeper Adam Melville made a superb low save to deny Jones.

Alton almost scored their second on 12 minutes when MacAllister’s shot was well blocked and Zach Rugman fired the rebound over the bar.

The Brewers went close again six minutes later when James Liddiard’s effort was superbly cleared off the line.

The Baggies got back on level terms in the 27th minute when Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb received the ball on the left-hand side and drove across the box before backheeling the ball to Hamblin, who clinically dispatched his finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Alton nearly regained the lead two minutes later when Liddiard’s close-range effort hit the crossbar.

The visitors were forced into an early change on 32 minutes when the injured Luke Jarvie was replaced by Callum Kent.

The Baggies took the lead three minutes later when Jones received the ball on the left-hand side of the pitch and drove forward before producing an excellent right-foot finish past Melville into the far bottom right-hand corner from a tight angle.

Badshot Lea almost scored a third on 37 minutes when Eric Kerage won the ball high up the pitch and drove forward before hitting his shot just wide of the far left-hand post.

The Baggies did go 3-1 up three minutes later when Jake Pickett’s lovely clipped ball forward found Jones, who took a touch to cut inside on to his right foot and hit his low right-foot shot in at near post past Melville, who got a hand to Jones’ effort.

The Brewers won a penalty in first-half stoppage-time when Marshall was fouled in the box, and Poynter stepped up and fired his left-foot effort into the left-hand corner of the net to make it 3-2 at the break, despite White getting a fingertip to Poynter’s spot kick.

Alton created the first clearcut chance of the second half in the 50th minute when Poynter’s inviting ball into the box found MacAllister, whose guided header towards the far post forced an excellent fingertip save from White.

The Brewers went close again on 73 minutes when Angel Zapata got the ball at the back post and hit a left-foot shot which was well held by White.

Alton created another chance a minute later when MacAllister drove forward and cut inside on to his right foot before firing his shot wide from a promising position.

The Brewers got back on level terms in the 86th minute when Alex Merrifield’s header hit the crossbar and Nash calmly headed home the rebound in the back of the net.

Alton almost scored a winner two minutes later when Nash’s powerful low right-foot shot from the edge of the box was well held by White.

The Brewers went close again in stoppage time when Zapata’s shot was well saved by White at his near post as honours finished even and the points were shared.

Next up for the Baggies is a home game against Eversley & California in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Saturday, August 30 (3pm kick-off).

Next up for the Brewers is a home game against Sheerwater in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Tuesday, September 2 (7.45pm kick-off).