How do Market Drayton Town do it? In even the tamest, dullest, safest of fixtures, they find dynamite to play with.

On paper, this was to be a routine, run-of-the-mill, end-of-season UniBond League South affair.

The play-offs were a distant dream for both sides, the nightmare of relegation equally implausible and you could hardly call it a keen derby duel, could you?

So, with nothing much expected to excite the fans, what do they get served? Semtex: Explosive action – Five Drayton goals in 23 minutes, an air ambulance landing on the pitch in a spectacular medical evacuation plus, of course, one of Drayton’s lads cast as would-be lifesaver.

And that’s only the first half!

Even by the madcap standards of Drayton’s topsy-turvy season, in which they’ve hit highs and lows with roller-coaster rapidity and seen players, managers and the chairmanship rotate, it took some believing.

Great entertainment and drama once again for, as manager Simon Line observed, with masterful understatement: “Just about everything happened in that first half.”

He went on to describe Drayton’s whirlwind goal blitz as “scintillating stuff” and added: “We played exceptionally well and left them absolutely shellshocked.”

It all started when Paul McMullen headed Town into a ninth minute lead from Nicky Porter’s corner.

Martyn Davies produced a carbon copy two minutes later for the first of his hat-trick goals. He then dribbled around the keeper for his second on 17 minutes and added his third and Town’s fifth on 32, after Jamie Haynes had cleverly claimed the fourth with a crafty lob.

Paul Grimes pulled one back for Brigg with a disputed 40th minute penalty, triggering a desperate rally by the home side that led, indirectly, to the medical emergency.

Jason Maxwell fell badly and lost all feeling in his lower limbs after challenging for a high ball with McMullen. Drayton were without their regular physio but Darren Beech, who is qualified, went to the rescue.

“He did a great job helping make sure Maxwell was OK until the air ambulance helicopter arrived,” said Line. “Brigg were full of praise for his efforts.”

Play was held up for 45 minutes and, in comparison, the second half was a massive anti-climax

There was a happy ending with Maxwell expected to make a full recovery.