Honours were even in an action-packed encounter at Butlin Road with the Staffordshire visitors recording their second 3-3 draw in three days.

David Kolodynski had given an unchanged Town the early lead, but Kidsgrove deservedly turned this around – with the hosts fortunate to eventually head off at the break level, thanks to a Kevin Thornton penalty.

Kolodynski once more put Rugby ahead just past the hour mark, before Athletic once again soon restored parity. It was end-to-end stuff virtually from the off, with Kolodynski’s opener coming after just four minutes when he nonchalantly tapped in Thornton’s pass, after the midfielder had shown quick feet to work his way through a crowded box.

The visitors were soon finding big holes in the Rugby defence though – with their skipper Anthony Malbon looking particularly threatening.

Malbon had already tested keeper Liam Roberts once, before he crossed for Nick Wellecomme to head perfectly past Roberts for the game’s first equaliser.

By seventeen minutes Kidsgrove were ahead when again Malbon had an instrumental role by playing in Jack Sherratt to fire home.

Athletic continued to open up Town and could easily have extended their advantage a number times, with Jordan Johnson twice going close from narrow angles and Roberts pulling off a fine one-handed save to Daniel Skelton’s effort.

Rugby settled themselves a little after this though, with Mason Rowley powerful heading just over the bar and Sam Warburton putting a long ranger into the arms of Ben Chapman.

Roberts then somehow managed to block a flick-on by Malbon at close range thanks to his quick reactions.

The final minutes of the first period saw a series of Valley penalty appeals.

Possible fouls on both Rowley and Kolodynski were harshly waived away by referee Nick Hobbis, but in between those the match official did spot a rogue hand to a Callum Powell cut-back, allowing Thornton the opportunity to send the teams into the dressing rooms all-square again.

The second half started where the first had left off, with Wellecomme striking one just wide for Kidsgrove and the inspirational Thornton flashing a free-kick dangerously across the face of the goal.

A speculative Rob Parker effort almost caught Chapman out and Seb Lake-Gaskin put one just off-target, as Valley looked a little more assured in their play.

Another brilliant Thornton run into the box set Kolodynski up for Rugby’s third, with the striker applying a powerful low finish from a few yards out.

However the visitors were level within two minutes, when Johnson surged through to score despite the best efforts of the busy Roberts.

Roberts was then down well to deny a further Johnson effort, before another Town appeal for a penalty was turned down when Thornton again had skipped his way past a number of challenges before seeming to be clipped by the hand of Chapman.

The chances continued to come for both sides, although it was Kidsgrove that ended the game the stronger. Wellecomme should have buried a header and Parker did well to tackle Malbon as he prepared to shoot, whilst at the other end Thornton and Kolodynski twice almost combined well to fashion a winner.

Another great reaction save by Roberts to Johnson’s point blank effort preserved Rugby’s point near the end of the game.

Valley Line-up: Roberts; Parker, Warburton, Rowley, Walker; Towers, Thornton, Adams; Lake-Gaskin (Healy), Kolodynski, Powell. Subs not used: Wilkins, Clifton, Belford, Ryan. Booked: Thornton.

Kidsgrove line-up: Chapman, Davidson, Donnelly, Espley, Morris, Sherratt, Malbon, Skelton, Wellecomme, Johnson, Woolley.  Subs: Kinsey, Bergin, Sims, Hodgkinson, Booty.