BILLINGE had to be content with just a point after an entertaining 3-3 draw with Broadheath Central in the Cheshire League Premier Division, at Barrows Farm on Saturday.

It means that The Storks are now seven games undefeated but the downside is that they have drawn their last three.

The feeling at the club is that they could - and possibly should - have won all three and if they had have done so, then those extra six points would have put them into second place in the division.

In a topsy-turvy game The Storks were ahead in two minutes from a fourth corner Thomas’s long corner was headed back by Billinge skipper, Zak Riley, for Lamont to finish from close range.

Indiscipline saw Broadheath equalise and somehow Matt Smith’s effort was helped into the net by Billinge defender Liam Fitzgerald.

On 58 minutes Billinge were ahead when Lamont finished neatly from 20 yards.

Jake Goulding slotted home a penalty and then glanced a header into the net to make it 3-2.

A terrific Lamont header made it 3-3 and gave the centre-forward his first hat-trick for The Storks.

It looked to all the world that the home side would go on to win the game but - on 78 minutes -they were dealt a huge blow when Thomas received a straight red card from referee James Tew, for what seemed a perfect tackle.

Billinge manager Wayne Wardle said: “It was tough game to analyse but ultimately errors and bad decisions cost us.

“That said you can’t take nothing away from a spirited Broadheath Central who kept at it all game, and therefore we’re good value for their point.”

On the matter of Rob Lamont’s handball Wardle said: “I’m not even sure Rob knew what he was doing there.

“He’s a big character around the dressing room and only he could get a hat-trick and get ruined by the lads for giving the penalty away and end up being blamed for denying us the win.”

On the subject of the sending off the manager said: “It looked a strong but fair tackle to me but I can see why the ref gave it.

“Unfortunately we now lose a player for three games and it costs the lad £35.

“Surely in the context of the game a yellow card would have sufficed and if he had stayed on the pitch I’m convinced we would have won the game - as with three fresh subs coming into the game we were finishing strongly.”

Next week Billinge will be looking to keep up their undefeated run when they travel to Egerton to take on Altrincham Reserves in a 2pm kick-off.