FC CLACTON joint-assistant manager and coach Glenn Eldridge hailed the “work-rate, endeavour and will to win” of his depleted squad as they gained a hard-earned point at Walsham-le-Willows on Saturday.

The Seasiders came from behind before being pegged back and drawing 2-2 in an exciting Thurlow Nunn League contest.

They conceded from a penalty but turned the match on its head thanks to goals from Matt Eve and Adam Hampson.

Walsham then levelled in the latter stages to ensure a topsy-turvy contest finished all-square.

“In the circumstances, it was an excellent result,” said Eldridge, who stepped in to run the side as first-team boss Tom Austin was best man at defender Kyelan Marvell’s wedding.

“Conceding a late equaliser from a set-piece was gut-wrenching and the boys were disappointed afterwards.

“But we went there with a bare 11 players and a half-fit Wayne Chapman.

“Then when Jack Clampin was carried off midway through the first half we had to put Wayne on.

“It was really tough and a great point, in my opinion, because any side at any level would struggle without seven or eight of their leading players.

“Some of them would get into most sides in the division, so we were bound to miss them.

“But the lads worked extremely hard and the only negative was the manner of Walsham’s equaliser.

“Even that was down to tired legs and heads, though, and overall I was very proud of the boys.

“I feel very positive and when we get a few of these injuries and unavailable bodies back, we’ll be a very strong team.”

Karl Andrade and Lee Peacock had to pull out on the morning of the match and Clacton were also without injured pair Charlie Thompson and Jordan Lartey, as well as the unavailable James Gregory, Brad James and Marvell.

In addition to Chapman, Adam Daniels and Zach Smith-Walter were also nursing niggling injuries while Lee Clowsley has only just returned to fitness after injury.

Joint-assistant Ade Webster was also unavailable.

Ollie Lamb stepped up from the reserves and was “outstanding”, according to Eldridge.

“We really believe in these boys,” said Eldridge, a former Clacton boss who is now back at the Rush Green Bowl after a spell managing Harwich and Parkeston.

“As I say, they were really disappointed not to win at the weekend and that says a lot.

“It shows how far we’ve come to not be happy with a point against a side that put 11 goals past us in two games last season and also recently beat Stowmarket.

“We’ve got real quality in the side.

“We know what we need to work on but our boys are prepared to listen and graft, in order to improve.

“Their work-rate, endeavour and will to win is superb and I certainly couldn’t have asked for anything more on Saturday.

“With another fit substitute, it might have been a different story.”

Peacock, Gregory and Lartey should be fine for Saturday’s FA Vase second qualifying round tie at Hoddesdon Town.

However, the Seasiders will be without Chapman, Clampin and Andrade (injured).