ABERYSTWYTH Town overcame a nightmare four hour journey to return from Rhyl with a valuable point after a positive performance earned them a 2-2 draw at Belle Vue on Friday.

Josh Davies’ fifth minute opener for the hosts was cancelled out by a Mark Jones penalty and a low strike from Geoff Kellaway in the opening half an hour, for a lead that Aber held until the closing stages of the game.

Toby Jones, however, snatched a point for Rhyl with an 83rd minute free kick, in a match that Aber could not afford to lose.

Aber’s team coach had been delayed for 90 minutes by an accident near Bala, and the team arrived just five minutes before the regulation kick-off time, meaning that the start was delayed by half an hour.

Phil Baker, signed on loan from TNS the day before, came straight into the centre of defence along with Sam Rodon, and Mark Jones once again lead the Aber line.

In the opening minutes Kellaway forced an early save from keeper Dan Lavercombe, before firing over seconds later.

The visitors, however, were caught on the break when Baker tried to clear from a Steve Lewis challenge, and the ball fell nicely to Josh Davies who was able to turn and calmly finish to score his first goal for the Lilywhites after his recent signing.

Aber responded positively and they bossed the first half with Macolm Melvin’s curling shot testing Lavercombe again, whilst Dan Alfei fired over and Luke Borelli’s left wing cross lead to a powerful Melvin header, which was blocked.

When Baker aimed a free kick into the area, Jones was fouled in the area by Jack Abraham, and the striker then picked himself up and blast home the equaliser from the penalty spot on 14 minutes.

It was from another Baker free kick that Aber took the lead on 26 minutes, as the home defence failed to clear and Kellaway pounced to volley home Aber’s second through a crowd of players from close in.

Rhyl’s Zyaac Edwards fired a free kick straight at Mullock, but then normal service was resumed as Melvin and Jones down the right set up Kellaway, who brought another save from Lavercombe.

Rhyl’s Steve Lewis did have a shot cleared off the line by Dan Alfei right at the end, but home supporters could not complain about Aber’s interval lead.

Rhyl were losing a must-win game, and they responded well after the break, with Steve Lewis appealing in vain for a penalty after going down in the penalty box.

Aber responded with Sam Rodon heading the ball back for Kellaway, whose strike was blocked by Lewis Coyle, before also being denied by a terrific save in a one-on-one just a few minutes later.

With Baker and Rodon, fronted by Sherbon and Crowther, dealing well with the inevitable aerial barrage Aber were still a threat going forward, with sub Lee Healey firing in a terrific ball across the goal.

Healey was then released down the right to set up Alfei, but the Swansea based right back couldn’t finish the chance.

As the game deteriorated into a stop start affair it seemed that only set pieces could threaten Aber’s lead, and so it proved.

With seven minutes to go, Rhyl were awarded a free kick a few yards outside of the area and Toby Jones confidently lifted his shot over the wall into the bottom corner of the Mullock’s net for the equaliser.

With Aber tiring after a very long day, the game entered injury time and as the hosts pressed they won a corner deep into added on time, but Oliver Buckley’s shot went over the bar to finally bring the proceedings to an end just after 10pm.

RHYL: D Lavercombe, S Halewood, T Hartley, L Coyle, C Rimmer, Z Edwards, T Jones, K Pierce, JAbraham (A Young 45), S Lewis (C Langos 80), J Davies (O Buckley 75). Unused subs: J Bell, J Jones, L Fitzpatrick.

ABERYSTWYTH: C Mullock, D Rees, S Rodon, P Baker, J Crowther, G Kellaway, L Sherbon, L Borrelli, M Melvin, D Alfei, M Jones, Subs: C Davies, R Wollacott, J Rimmer, K Georgievsky, Attendance: 289. Ref: Iwan Griffith D Jones.