Bourne Town draw with Long Eaton United in the Northern Premier League

Bourne Town were left with mixed emotions after a thrilling draw with Long Eaton at the JJ Mac Stadium on Saturday.

The Wakes had played some of their best football of the season in the opening half of the Northern Premier League Midlands Division match.

They raced into a three-goal lead before being pegged back after the break by a highly-rated Long Eaton side.

Bourne then missed a penalty to win the match while their Derbyshire visitors hit the post late on as the spoils were shared in an entertaining 3-3 draw.

Joint boss Michael Goode said: "We absolutely tore Long Eaton apart in the first half but equally they were very good in the second half.

"I was told that they were the best side to visit the Abbey Lawn so far this season so we've got to look at it from two perspectives.

"We have blown a 3-0 lead and missed a penalty but the flip-side is that we were playing against a team in a false position and, to play in a way like that, is a pleasing progression for us.

"We've now taken six points from the last four games and, prior to that, we only took three points from four games so there is progress there."

Bourne had gone close to scoring first with Connor Furey bringing a superb save out of visiting goalkeeper Lewis King.

The deadlock was then broken midway through the first half when Robbie Ellis thundered home a header from a Sam Bayly corner.

The lead was doubled 12 minutes later when Ellis bravely netted from a close range after Tom Siddons had headed a Furey cross into the danger zone.

The first half scoring spree was completed eight minutes before half-time when Furey received a pass from Bayly and beat several players before firing home a fine finish.

The visitors pulled a goal back within four minutes of the second half starting when Jayden Cotterill headed home a Cieron Keane cross.

Bourne then had an effort disallowed for offside before Long Eaton netted their second goal in the 56th minute through a Jahvan Davidson-Miller header.

Wakes goalkeeper Will Lakin then produced a tremendous triple save to keep Long Eaton at bay before the visitors equalised with 13 minutes remaining through an Evan Garnett volley.

Another disallowed effort followed for Bourne who were then awarded an 84th minute penalty when Jordan O'Brien was fouled but Will Bird dragged his spot kick wide of the goal.

The visitors had the final chance to snatch the points with James Taylor hitting the post in the final minute as the honours finished even to stretch Bourne's unbeaten league run to four games.

Boss Goode has missed the majority of the last couple of games through illness, work and family commitments with co-manager Dan Flack taking the reins alongside coaches Richard Pickering, Martin Bond and Junior Jones.

Goode explained: "I'm still fully involved and doing lots behind the scenes but Flacky has done a really good job.

"He's still learning the management game but he's played lots of games at this level and he's got real pedigree.

"He's been brilliant and I think that a fresh calm voice over the last few weeks has really helped us. Everyone has pulled together to do a really good job."

Bourne are back in action at the JJ Mac Stadium on Saturday when they host Coventry Sphinx.