WORCESTER City were left frustrated after defensive frailties and a host of missed chances cost them during a 2-2 draw at Long Eaton United.

A first-half brace from Zak Goodson, who caught the City defence napping, was enough for the visitors to clinch a well-earned Midland League Premier Division draw despite Mark Danks levelling twice.

“I don’t like conceding five goals away from home in two games," said Worcester’s joint manager John Snape.

“We are too open at times as we want to be offensive and go forward but the decision-making probably cost us.

“I don’t think we started very well and were sloppy especially on the first goal.

“We got ourselves back into the game and controlled it. Once we went 1-1 we should have defended it into half-time but instead went gung-ho and got picked off.

“We had a few harsh words at half-time and totally dominated the game in the second half.

"My only disappointment is we haven’t taken the chances there for us. Overall it is two points dropped.”

City’s first chance of the game saw a fizzing free-kick whipped inside the box but goalkeeper Scott Low just managed to stop the ball heading into his net.

United broke with Blaine Hancock squandering the initial chance but with Worcester's goalkeeper Tom Palmer forced off his line Goodson fired through the stopper's legs into the net to give his side a 19th-minute lead.

They held the advantage for just three minutes though before Danks opened his tally with a fierce shot beyond the back-pedalling Long Eaton keeper who also ended up in the net following a well-worked set-piece.

City looked frail at the back with Hancock almost replying immediately, getting goal-side of the defence only to be denied by the charging goalkeeper.

But the home side did regain the lead on the stroke of half-time when Goodson punished more poor defending by skipping clear before firing low into the bottom corner.

City were more dominant in the second half as they looked to get back into the game again with Gloucester loanee George Forsyth trying his luck from range with a wicked drive which just flew wide.

David Reynolds went closer still with an effort into the side-netting before Danks opened up the defence and saw his effort saved into the path of substitute James Baldwin who somehow fired wide of the gaping net.

The equaliser finally came in the 70th minute when Danks was on hand inside the box to fire his side level.

The home side had Kameron Campbell sent off going into the final 10 minutes for an apparent headbutt but City were unable to capitalise and had to settle for a draw.

Snape added:“The main positive is we are creating a load of chances and created enough to win three or four games.

“We’ve come away from home and got a point again. We wanted three like everybody else does but to be fair to Long Eaton they dug in second half and did well, managing to slow it down.”

City: Palmer, Weir, Griffiths, Albert, M Smith, Forsyth, Birley, Brett (Baldwin), Danks, Reynolds, J Smith. Subs not used: Fishwick, Gwynne, Harris-James, Hayward.

Attendance: 175.