FAIRFORD came from beind four times to seal a dramatic draw in what will go down as one of the games of the season across the Hellenic leagues at The Meadowbank Stadium on Saturday afternoon Division One West promotion rivals Shortwood United and Fairford Town played out a stalemate 4-4 that must have had both managers pulling their hair out.

A late leveller from James Eddy deep into injury-time probably meant that Fairford’s Paul Braithwaite was the happier of the men in the dugout.

It should not be forgotten that within the eight goals shared betweeen the team that Fairford’s Adam Smith scored a contender for goal of the season from just inside the Shortwood half.

This was a superb game of football played out in the right spirit where both sides deserve a huge amount of credit for producinga memorable encounter.

The eight-goal score-fest began when Shortwood’s Dan Wixey was on hand to sidefoot the ball home early on from a spilt cross.

Striker Sean McKeon, making his full debut, levelled the game up on 27 minutes when his own neat footwork allowed him the space to squeeze in his shot.

Shortwood responsed almost immediately, experienced frontman Kevin Slack nudging the home side into the lead once again.

Ten minutes later came Smith’s moment of inspiration.

After a poor clearance from home 'keeper Ashton Herbert, right-back Adam Smith collected the ball on the half-way line, advanced a few paces before cracking an audacious effort which lobbed the retreating stopper and nestled into the back of the net.

Though Fairford’s wild celebration were subdued by the game’s fifth goal before the break. Sean Lawson finding himself unmarked to head in from close range to make it 3-2.

Fairford fought back again after the break, McKeon wasting little time to restore parity.

A good break down the right from Alex Rudd, ended with a ball across the face of goal for McKeon to slide in to make it 3-3.

The scores were not level for long though. Lawson cracked home a fine finish for his second of the game.

Despite going 4-3 down, Fairford remained unbowed as chances came and went.

It was deep into injury-time when Richie Carter's header across goal from a corner came back off the bar with Eddy, up from the back, on hand to slam the ball home to secure a deserved point.