Bourne Town are beaten by Heanor Town in the United Counties League

After a 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions, Bourne Town have suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this season.

The Wakes fell to their first reversal since mid-October in midweek when they went down to a 2-1 away loss at Lincoln United.

And that was followed on Saturday by a 3-2 home defeat against Heanor Town to hit the Wakes' title hopes in the United Counties League Premier Division North.

They now trail league leaders Eastwood CFC by three points while third-placed Lincoln United are five points adrift of the Wakes with a game in hand.

The double defeat came seven days after Bourne had booked their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Vase for the first time in their club history.

Manager Michael Goode said: "It's certainly been the highs and lows of football.

"The whole club has been blown away in the last 18 months by complete positivity and that is very much still the case.

"Everyone was on such a high after the FA Vase because of the whole day and all of the emotions of it.

"It took a lot out of us from the players to the management team, committee and supporters.

"To then have a game of such magnitude against Lincoln a few days later was always going to be tough.

"After conceding the first goal, we just got tired for a few minutes and they got their second.

"We just wrote it off afterwards and then everything was good for Saturday but we didn't start well.

"Heanor are a good side. They started better than us and took their goals really well."

Bourne fell behind after just two minutes at the JJ Mac Stadium on Saturday when they failed to clear a Heanor corner and John King smashed home the rebound.

Henry Dunn twice went close to getting Bourne back on level terms as he saw a cross-shot turned away by Alfie Roberts in the Heanor goal before seeing an effort go agonisingly wide.

Josh Craddock sent an audacious effort from distance just over the home crossbar before the Lions - who are also through to the last eight of the FA Vase - doubled their lead in the 17th minute.

The visitors broke quickly from a Bourne attack and Sacha Markelic found Ethan Wiesztort on the right and his cross was superbly volleyed home by Jamie Sleigh.

Robbie Ellis saw a shot blocked for the Wakes who then cut the deficit on the half-hour mark when Tom Siddons headed home from a Will Bird cross.

Siddons saw another effort saved by Roberts while Ellis fired over from close range as Heanor held their one-goal advantage at the break.

Goode added: "I said to the lads at half-time that it was about character.

"We had to stand up because it's alright everyone saying how good you are when you're winning by a couple of goals but it's also about what you do when you're 2-1 down.

"The second half was the best we had played for months. We played some really good football in tough conditions."

Markelic shot over when through on goal early in the second half before Roberts excelled to deny Bourne with a superb save from Siddons' shot.

The visiting custodian continued to shine with a brilliant block to keep out Bird from close range before Ellis saw a header cleared off the line.

Home goalkeeper Dan Swan then prevented Heanor from increasing their advantage with a smart save after Markelic had again gone clear.

Brad Marshall then produced a vital block to keep out Josh Bowley's effort before Richard Jones saw a header cleared off the line at the other end by Sam Brown.

Ellis spurned another good chance before Bourne finally made their second breakthrough with 14 minutes remaining as the skipper powered home their equaliser and it was the home side who now had the momentum.

Dunn saw a shot blocked while Bird fired a good opportunity over from close range before Bourne were rocked by a third Heanor goal with a minute remaining.

Markelic laid off a Joe Nice free-kick into the path of Brown who picked out King at the back post and he fired home the winning goal into the roof of the Bourne net.

Goode continued: "We deserved to win the game on the back of that second half performance.

"We showed some real resilience in the second half but it came down to the fine margins of football.

"We missed some really good opportunities to get ourselves ahead and then got hit by a sucker punch.

"We haven't been in this position before but we've got to put a bit of perspective on where we are.

"Everyone wants us a piece of us now and Heanor's celebrations on Saturday showed how much it means to teams to come to Bourne and get a result."

The Wakes are back in action at the Abbey Lawn on Wednesday night when they host Division One neighbours Blackstones in the semi-final of the Lincolnshire Senior Trophy.