Both Needham Market manager Richard Wilkins, and Leiston boss Glenn Driver, were content with a point from yesterday’s 2-2 draw at Bloomfields in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Central.

“It was a weird game really. I felt we had great opportunities to win it in the second half,” explained Wilkins.

“We had several three-on-threes, running at them with the pace that we have got, but we kept giving the ball away.

“That’s the only thing that I said to them at the end of the game – we have got to show more composure in those situations, because I thought we counter-attacked so well today.

“We were just a little hot-headed with some of our passes, and in the second half we tended to ignore the simple pass and go for the worldy at times.

“I can’t fault the lads for their effort, although I’m disappointed with both their goals, because they were both shots from outside the box.

“We had a great period of 15 minutes in the second half when it looked like we were going to score, but (Leiston keeper) Marcus (Garnham) stopped them.

“We dug in, and it proves how far we have come here as a team, after being well beaten at home by Leiston last year. They were also much better than us at their place as well, even though it was only 2-0 that day.

“We are moving in the direction, and we came back strongly from conceding the early goal to get a point,” added Wilkins.

Meanwhile, Leiston boss Driver said: “I thought a draw was a fair result.

“I thought they were the better side in the first half, and I thought we dominated the second period.

“I know it’s a cliche, a game of two halves, but I think we pinned them back in the second period, scored an equaliser and could have had a couple more.

“I didn’t think that we worked their keeper (Jake Jessup enough), and I thought their two centre-halves were outstanding against Jake Reed today. Overall, we come away with a point, which with our first-half performance we didn’t deserve to get. We needed to go on from scoring the early goal,” added Driver.