LEE Elliston bemoaned the lack of leadership on the pitch as his team suffered a frustrating 3-2 defeat at home to Tiptree Jobserve on Saturday.

Barnston played some good football and scored one great goal but had nothing to show for it as a competitive Tiptree side used their greater experience to take all the points.

It was a frustrating result which sums up Barnston’s season, said Elliston.

“We have to compete with others strength, desire and bravery. We didn’t and it cost us,” he said.

“Any 50/50 or 70/30 in our favour was won by them. We are too quiet, too weak and lack leadership on the pitch.

“It is something that will be addressed with the return of two key players in pre-season.

“We have an average age of 23 in the squad, which is great for the club and probably the youngest in the division, but we need to be ugly and be prepared to battle and go toe to toe. The ability to do that would have got us three points and many more over the last 21 games.”

Both teams started positively and were linking play well in the early stages although Tiptree’s desire to win the aerial battle and pick up the pieces was frustrating the home bench.

It was an even first half but Tiptree went in the happier after breaking the deadlock after 35 minutes, the visiting striker nodding home a cross after Barnston failed to deal with a free kick.

Barnston upped the tempo and work rate in the second half, forcing Tiptree into making mistakes.

On 60 minutes, after neat play from back to front, Craig Copas dropped deep off his marker and turned 25 yards out, unleashing a rasping effort that flew into the top corner for the equaliser.

Within five minutes, Copas delivered a free kick to the far post. Troy Feathersone stole in and volleyed from five yards to put Barnston in front.

Copas then combined with Kieran Heap which resulted in a goal-line clearance at point blank range – and Barnston were made to pay for the missed opportunity.

Tiptree struck an equaliser for 2-2. Within moments possession was lost in midfield and, with no one tracking or picking up the deep run, a through ball found the Tiptree midfielder who struck the ball into the bottom left corner for the winner.

Barnston tried to find an equaliser with substitute Gordon Wilson going close but it was not to be for the hosts.

• Next up, Barnston travel to second-place Coggeshall on Saturday.