BACKS coach Jon Sanchez admitted Bournemouth only had themselves to blame after spurning a half-time lead to draw 17-17 at Bracknell.

Lions were 17-5 in front at Lily Hill Park but were pegged back to a draw having failed to punish sin bins collected by their hosts.

Sanchez told the Daily Echo: "We were clinical, accurate and composed in the first half but we didn't see the ball for long periods of the second half and when we did, we made silly errors.

"Even when they went down to 13 men, we weren't accurate enough in the strike zone.

"If we had got a fourth score after half-time, the floodgates would have opened but they came back into it. Give them their due, they stuck to their game plan and it worked really well.

"We had parity in the scrum and our lineout functioned well but it was one of those really frustrating afternoons where it just didn't happen for us.

"We should have seen the game out and we cost ourselves. But we'll learn from it and come back stronger, I'm confident of that.

"It's still two points on the road. We aren't losing away games at the moment, which is a good thing. We are right in the mix."

Bracknell forged ahead early in Saturday's South West Premier clash. They attacked from a lineout and following good ball retention, wing Simon Bayliss went over in the right corner.

Back came Lions after fly-half Adam Davies found touch inside the Bracknell 22m. A powerful drive infield saw hooker Alan Manning bulldoze over and Grant Hancox added the extras.

A Hancox penalty put the visitors 10-5 ahead and another score was not long in coming, replacement wing Danny Kirkpatrick going over for a converted try.

Controversially, Lions were denied a bonus-point score when, following good work by Scott Chislett and Kirkpatrick, Hancox was judged to have not grounded legally.

After the break, some enterprising play by Bracknell was rewarded when Bayliss went over for his second.

Yellow cards for Chris Hala’ufia and Ally Walton followed but still Bournemouth could not make the crucial breakthrough.

And they were made to pay with a couple of minutes left when a catch-and-drive move allowed the hosts to touch down, with Laidler's terrific goal levelling matters.

Although disappointed, Sanchez added: "Our tighthead prop Luca Firetto was absolutely outstanding. He led from the front and gave a good pack in our league a tough time.

"His carrying was exceptional and Grant's goal-kicking kept us in the game. He's not missing a lot at the moment."

Bournemouth take a break from action over the Christmas period, their next match being at home to Weston-super-Mare on Saturday, January 6.

Lions: Hancox, Davis, Gleadowe, Chislett, Stewart, Davies, Hardcastle, Napier, Manning, Firetto, MacDonald, Treloar, Hennings, Bennett, Rees. Replacements: Fraser, Kirkpatrick, McDonald.