A stoppage-time penalty from Millbrook Captain Tom Payne prevented Helston from taking all three points in an exhilarating 3-3 draw at Kellaway Park.

Helston dominated the first half and could have had a penalty of their own in the first three minutes when Stu Bowker was upended as he tried to latch onto a pass from Craig Veal. But the referee quickly waved away all protests.

Billy Tucker forced a fantastic save from the Millbrook goalkeeper with nine minutes played. A free-kick from 30 yards looked set to end up in the top corner but for the outstretched glove of the keeper.

Ryan Turner had an opportunity to take the lead after 11 minutes after being fed in on the right side of the box but the forward could only tap his effort wide of the goal.

In the 24th minute, Helston deservedly took the lead through Bowker. A pacey delivery from Tucker was only punched away as far as Bowker who managed to loop a header into the goal over several bodies.

The home side were playing some great flowing football and looked dangerous every time they attacked, but when Millbrook did break Helston had Joshua Storey in good form to snuff out any danger.

Helston doubled their lead right on halftime after Turner had been fouled on the right side of the area. From the resulting free-kick, Tucker laced a superb shot into the top left corner.

The away side came out for the second half with a point to prove and had a couple of early penalty shouts waved away. Whatever had been said at halftime was certainly paying off as many of Helston's attacks were nullified by the Millbrook backline.

Veal had a great opportunity to make it three for Helston after 55 minutes after being picked out brilliantly by Luke Tripconey, but the striker couldn't sort his feet out and saw the ball smothered by the goalkeeper.

Just after the hour mark the goal that Millbrook had been threatening for arrived. A long cross from the left flew all the way to the back post and Jack Wood was unmarked to touch home.

Then followed a quiet spell in the game as both sides went in search of the next goal. When the next goal did come it equalled the scores as Millbrook added another in a similar fashion to their first goal.

A long cross from Sam Morcom picked out the unmarked Rikki Shepherd to make it 2-2 on 79 minutes.

Millbrook had the momentum but Helston thought they had the game wrapped up in the 87th minute when they took the lead again. Tucker's cross wasn't cleared and the ball fell to Turner who had the easy task of tapping home from close range.

But in a great show of character Millbrook fought back again and got a penalty in stoppage time.

A long free-kick was pumped into the box straight into the arms of Helston Radovanovic, but off the ball, there had been a collision between two players. Enough of a coming together to force referee Mike Halford into awarding a Millbrook penalty.

Despite saving a penalty in their last game against Elmore, Radovanovic dived the wrong way as Payne sent his effort into the bottom right corner and sent Millbrook back to East Cornwall with a hard-fought point.

Final score: 3-3

Helston Athletic

M. Radovanovic, L. Tripconey, J. Penhallurick, H. Jewell, J. Storey, T. Elliot, R. Turner, R. Shanley, C. Veal, S. Bowker, B. Tucker

Subs: R. Beattie, L. Summer, S. Buckley, J. Mcilroy, M. Bye

Millbrook

J. Morely, J. Richards, R. Tetley, J. Wood, D. Youldon, L. Murray, J. Foster, R. Knight, T. Payne, R. Shepherd, S. Morcom

Subs: J. Toulson, C. Mahoney