WILL Croker could not hide a sliver of disappointment over Bournemouth's draw at Brixham despite admitting: "I should be high-fiving all the way to the bank."

Lions battled back from 14-0 down early on to secure a 29-29 draw at Astley Park, earning three points against a team who have not lost at home since the opening day.

Despite that more than respectable points haul, Bournemouth dropped a place to eighth in National Three South West on an afternoon soured by a concussion to visiting full-back Andy Kingswell on his full debut.

And head coach Croker revealed he had mixed thoughts over the result.

He told the Daily Echo: "Brixham's player-coach Martyn Worthington said he didn't know whether to be happy or sad and I think I feel fairly similar.

"We got off to an appalling start – it was as if we had forgotten how to tackle. We were too narrow in defence and left big gaps.

"Brixham are an established club and having got back to 29-29 having been 14-0 down, I should be high-fiving all the way to the bank. But by all other estimates, we were the better side.

"Having gifted them two easy scores, we played much the better rugby.

"They were a little bit predictable in their approach. They didn't have a huge number of runners offering variations in attacking lines and we were able to manage that but a couple of blips allowed them through.

"It was a strange afternoon. The short answer is that we'll take three points on the road and move on."

Brixham stormed ahead in the early stages when inside-centre Worthington twice crossed, Ben Lovell adding the extras on both occasions.

Kingswell's pass allowed winger Wyn Roberts to motor clear and cut the deficit with an unconverted try, with Jack Hennings's fifth score of the season increasing the pressure. Grant Hancox, shifted to scrum-half, landed the conversion.

A Roberts interception score and a Hancox conversion put Lions ahead for the first time at 19-14, only for Worthington to complete his hat-trick, with the try converted.

Full-back Lovell's penalty gave the hosts a 24-19 lead at the break.

Hancox kicked a penalty after the restart before Bournemouth were briefly reduced to 13 men due to sin bins for Ali Bennett and Joe Rees.

Brixham duly capitalised when the ball was flung out to winger Tom Goodman and he touched down for an unconverted score.

Returning to the full complement, the visitors levelled matters thanks to a flowing three-quarter move finished by Alex Everett-Bolter and a Hancox conversion.

Lovell missed a penalty to win it so both sides had to be content with a draw.

Lions: Kingswell, Everett-Bolter, Gleadowe, Chislett, Roberts, Davies, Hancox, Spikings, Richardson, Firetto, Treloar, Kenneally, Hennings, McDonald, Rees. Replacements: Bennett, Boyd, Manning.