Bourne Town draw with Gresley Rovers in the United Counties League

There were mixed emotions for Bourne Town after the Wakes struck a late leveller to earn a point in their home match with Gresley Rovers on Saturday.

Aaron Eyett scored deep into stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw for a Bourne side who had played for more than an hour with 10 men following the dismissal of Alvin Magagada.

However, the Wakes had created enough chances to have won the match against their relegation-threatened visitors and also missed the chance to take top spot with Eastwood CFC suffering a home defeat to Newark and Sherwood.

That allowed Lincoln United to take pole position with Bourne dropping down to third place, two points off the leaders with four matches of the season remaining.

Manager Michael Goode said: "We actually played really well and dominated the game.

"It was a game we should have won but we then got into a position to lose it and then got the late equaliser.

"I've got to give the players credit because they showed unbelievable character to keep going for the last few minutes and get the goal which we fully deserved.

"There was a real sense of mixed emotions but we're still in there, albeit with a different team at the top now and it's in Lincoln's hands.

"We have to look after ourselves though and just go out and try to win the last four games."

Gresley arrived at the JJ Mac Stadium on the back of an away win at Newark and Sherwood last weekend having changed their management team.

They started brightly and needed a superb goalline clearance from Brad Marshall to prevent the Moatmen from taking the lead.

Bourne then grew into the contest with Magagada and Zak Munton both finding plenty of space out wide as the hosts got into some threatening positions to break the deadlock.

The Wakes were then reduced to 10 men just before the half-hour mark when the assistant referee flagged for an incident involving Magagada and Gresley full-back Nathan Banton.

The two had become entwined after battling for the ball and, as they tried to unpick themselves, the Bourne man was adjudged to have caught Banton with his arm.

The big call forced Bourne to reshape but, despite the dismissal, they remained solid as the game moved into the second half.

The hosts created the best chances with Will Bird, Munton and Eunis Lievins all having great opportunities to put the Wakes ahead.

However, they were unable to make the breakthrough and then Gresley grabbed the lead with three minutes remaining.

Goalkeeper Dan Swan spilled a high cross and, in his attempt to retrieve the situation, was adjudged to have fouled a visiting player and Sam Moore scored from the resultant spot kick.

Bourne rallied superbly though and the ball was turned into Eyett's path in injury-time and he steered home the late leveller.

Goode added: "We know that we should have won the game comfortably, even with 10 men, and I think if we had scored at any point before their goal then we could have shut up the shop because we've been very good at that.

"We haven't conceded a goal in open play since early in the FA Vase game and we're looking very solid defensively and dealt with everything.

"If we had kept a clean sheet, we would have won the game and it would have put real pressure on everybody else."

Bourne face a tough trip to fifth-placed Heanor Town on Saturday.