Eastbourne Borough 3 v 3 Weston Super-Mare National League South Eastbourne Borough twice squandered the lead as a dubious penalty from Tristan Plummer helped Weston Super-Mare to a point in an entertaining clash at Priory Lane on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors had been eight unbeaten heading into the clash, and have been in free-scoring form; but as had Borough, last Tuesday’s 4-4 draw against Hayes & Yeading underlined their attacking credentials, but also showed their frailty at the back.

Ian Simpemba and Kieran Khinda-John were rested, but Tommy Widdrington handed a debut to on loan Reading defender Jake Sheppard.

But it was Weston who started well in the opening five minutes, but a flurry of earlier corners didn’t come to fruition.

Borough began to get into the game after the early Weston pressure, despite the conditions Widdrington’s side wanted to play football.

And just after the first 15 minutes Nathaniel Pinney went on a long, penetrating run in Weston’s half, and once into the box he squared but no Borough player could convert the chance.

Borough was beginning to get into the ascendency, and in particular Sheppard was constantly looking to get the Sports on the front foot down the left flank.

Weston’s first real opening at goal was a shot from about 25 yards from Joe McClennan which was easily saved by Lewis Carey.

Borough took the lead just after half-hour mark when a neat move involving Jack Evans and Pinney was finished off by Sam Beale.

Pinney cushioned a ball into Evans, who diverted a lovely diagonal ball into Beale who brushed off the defender to fire low under Luke Purnell to give Widdrington’s side a deserved lead.

Borough very nearly doubled the advantage just before half-time when Sheppard made another industrious run. His cross into box was flung at by Jamie Taylor and Kane Haysman, but none of them could find the telling touch.

Immediately after the restart Borough doubled lead through club hero Taylor, he picked up a loose ball just outside the Weston’s area and fired a looping shot into the top corner.

Weston continued to play, and they were very nearly back in the game when Ben Withey had a great chance, but his header from a superb cross was well wide of Carey’s goal.

Weston was given a route back into the game when Ryan Northmore’s side were awarded a controversial penalty. Plummer went to ground under minimal contact from Craig Stone.

Plummer stepped up and converted the penalty to make it 2-1, and with that the momentum swung in favour of the Somerset side.

After the penalty went in Weston had a glorious chance to level the game through Clayton Fortune, but his close range effort was superbly saved by Carey.

Weston scored the equaliser moments after Ryan Worrall had the chance to give Borough a two-goal lead.

Haysman misjudged the ball after the attack, and McClennan worked the ball all the way over to the other side of the pitch where Dayle Crubb calmly fired across Carey to level it 2-2 with ten minutes remaining.

After conceding their 2-0 lead, Borough was looking a bit shaky under the pressure of Weston, but Taylor scored his second of the game with a wonderful individual effort.

Taylor picked up the ball on the edge of the area, and skipped past Fortune, and then let off a lovely curling effort which Purnell had no chance with.

Just as Borough thought they had the points, Ioannis Varouxakis levelled the game with a well placed header from a Crubb cross.

Teams Eastbourne Borough: L. Carey, C. Stone, S Beale, J. Evans (c) (G. McCallum, 71), M. Hamilton, J. Sheppard, R. Worrall (M. Baptista, 83), N. Collier, N. Pinney (E. Romain, 83), J. Taylor, K. Haysman Substitutes: K. Khinda-John, B. Bosma.

Weston Super-Mare: L. Purnell, B. Withey (D. Wring, 71), O. Barnes, J. Cane, P. Kerry, C. Fortune, J. McClennan, T. Plummer (A. Bryne, 83), S. Camper (J. Varouxakis, 53) D. Crubb, J. Edge Substitutes: T. Davis.