Pinchbeck United draw with Wivenhoe in the Thurlow Nunn League
An injury-time equaliser earned Pinchbeck United a point in their first match in the Thurlow Nunn League on Saturday.
Brenden Parker popped up with the late leveller to tie an entertaining contest with a hard-working Wivenhoe side at the Sir Halley Stewart ground.
The Knights had twice led in the first half of the Division One North match before being pegged back by their Essex visitors who then took the lead after the break before Pinchbeck struck back late on in a 3-3 draw.
Manager Lewis Thorogood was pleased with the attacking side of his team's game but felt some of the visiting goals should have been prevented.
He commented: "I do feel it was two points dropped overall but I was really pleased that offensively we are looking potent.
"I was pleased to score some goals because we didn't do that in pre-season and they predominantly came from our forwards which is fantastic.
"We had plenty of chances to score more but obviously we rue the opportunity of getting the win by some poor defensive mistakes and decisions generically from the team."
The Knights had been boosted by the return to their ranks of Avi Vieira after spells with Deeping Rangers and Holbeach United last season.
And Pinchbeck had got their season off to a flying start when Ben Howlett rifled them ahead in the opening minute with a superb strike from distance.
However, Wivenhoe levelled when Pinchbeck conceded a cheap free kick which was whipped into the box and, although home goalkeeper Ben Martin turned Harry Johnson's effort onto the crossbar, Taylor Warden reacted ahead of the Knights to net the rebound.
Pinchbeck had regained the lead by the half-hour mark though when a strong surge and shot from Flynn Slater who had gone close moments earlier - saw the rebound fall into the path of Logan Tate to convert.
But the lead lasted just five minutes before Wivenhoe were back on level terms again with Warden this time the provider as he picked out Harry Miller to score and send the sides in level at the break.
Pinchbeck played some decent football in the second half but found themselves trailing for the first time when Finley Hughes reacted first to fire home after Warden's shot had been saved by Martin.
Hughes then collected a second caution and was sent off as the match moved into the latter stages with Pinchbeck pushing for an equaliser.
They went close on several occasions before Parker found space in the box to turn and fire home a last-gasp leveller.
Thorogood added: "We came out of the traps really well and Ben has scored a fantastic goal but it has probably lured us into a false sense of security in that Wivenhoe would just roll over.
"A bit of sloppiness came into our play and, to be fair to Wivenhoe, they pressed really high and worked really hard off the ball to get back into the game but I felt we gifted them the first two goals.
"We didn't stop going forward and creating though even when we went behind in the second half.
"To score three goals and get a point on the board to settle the nerves is the order of the day and there are positives to take from it but we have come on enough to be disappointed that we didn't get the win."
Pinchbeck now face back-to-back away league games with a trip to Stanway Pegasus on Saturday being followed by a visit to AFC Sudbury the following weekend.
