Missed opportunities proved to be the difference once again for Eastbourne Borough after they were made to make do with a point against Slough Town.

The Sports were leading 3-1 going into the last half an hour, but the visitors came back strongly and could have even won the game themselves at Priory Lane.

Leone Gravata, Decarrey Sheriff and Zak Emmerson goals had put the Sports on course for a return to winning ways.

But Slough had other ideas, with Tyrese Dyce’s header six minutes from time earning them a share of the spoils.

Mark Beard had mixed news with injuries ahead of the game. He was able to welcome back skipper Brad Barry and midfielder Jack Clarke into the starting line up, but was missing Jack Paxman, with Michael Olarewaju only fit enough for the bench.

The Sports started on the front foot, and broke the deadlock after eight minutes. Fletcher Holman broke down the left hand side, cut in but was tackled by the Slough defence. However, the ball fell to Gravata just inside the area and his low drive picked out the bottom corner.

Sheriff then burst away from John Goddard and played a ball forwards through to Holman, whose first touch took him past Scott Davies and through on goal. But with just the keeper to beat, he was denied by Rohan Luthra.

Billy Vigar then found space as he drove down the left hand side. He pulled the ball back to Holman on the penalty spot, but his goalbound effort was deflected wide by Dan Bayliss.

Borough’s pressure was unrelenting, and midway through the first half they had another chance. Emmerson ran onto Archie Procter’s ball forwards and set up Sheriff, but under pressure from Dyce could only fire over.

The hosts’ frustrations in front of goal were growing. Emmerson set Holman through on goal, but was denied by the outstretched foot of Luthra.

All the while it was only 1-0, Slough were still in the game and almost drew level just before the break. A quick free-kick allowed Goddard to lift the ball into the near post but Mickel Platt could only poke it over.

Borough, though, were within a whisker of making it 2-0 before half-time. Gravata played the ball out to Sheriff on the left. He took it past Dyce inside the area but from a tight angle saw his left-footed strike come back off the near post.

But the hosts did double their lead early in the second period. Clarke played a neat through ball to Gravata, and his first time ball across from the left ran to Sheriff at the far post who struck in from ten yards.

However, Slough grew in confidence. Ogbonna was denied with a fine save from Harrison Foulkes, before they got back into the game. Chambers-Parillon passed the ball across the 18 yard box and found Goddard in a yard of space and he slotted into the bottom corner.

Despite that, though, Borough regained their two-goal cushion on the hour mark. Gravata was first to a half-hearted clearance and he found to feet of Emmerson, who fired his shot low across Luthra and in off the post.

Injuries were again proving to be costly for the Sports. Vigar was forced off in the first half, before Clarke was withdrawn to manage his minutes. That meant Jay Beckford and Dan Quick were asked to play in unfamiliar roles, and the visitors looked to take advantage.

Goddard’s free-kick was helped on by former Borough winger Dom Hutchinson, and Platt had lost his marker before slotting past Foulkes.

The lively Ogbonna then fired just wide, before Prosper had an effort blocked off the line by Quick.

And Slough’s pressure paid off six minutes from time. The Sports failed to get a corner clear and Chambers-Parrilon played the ball back to wide to Goddard. He clipped in a cross from the right and picked out Tyrese Dyce who headed home.

Borough, though, thought they’d won it late on, but Emmerson was flagged offside before he headed in a cross from Sheriff.