MATT Plumb says Eynesbury’s current form is “like a car running on three cylinders instead of four”.

UCL Division One

Eynesbury Rovers 2

Burton Park Wanderers 2

“LIKE a car running on three cylinders instead of four.”

That was Eynesbury Rovers manager Matt Plumb’s candid assessment of where his side are following their 2-2 league home draw with Burton Park Wanderers on Saturday.

After Adam Boothby missed a second minute penalty, the lacklustre hosts showed little spark – allowing the visitors to take a 1-0 lead into the break – which cued a half-time rocket from their boss.

“I let them have it at half-time and then probably a little bit more,” revealed Plumb.

“A few of them were just going through the motions and I can’t tell you exactly what I said to them, as it isn’t publishable, but it was along the lines of ‘if you just want to turn up here and go through the motions, then don’t bother coming back.’

“Once they are out on the pitch it’s down to them, I can’t do anything. But what I can do is tell them a few home truths.”

Louis Dupree’s 23rd-minute opener for Burton was cancelled out by St Neots loan man Lee Bassett on 52 minutes, heading in after Stuart Harper knocked Joe Jordan’s corner back across goal.

Gavin Batt put Rovers ahead 12 minutes later, sidefooting Bassett’s right-wing cross in from six yards. But, in the dying seconds, the hosts were pegged back by an equalising goal from Leigh Chapman, the Division One top scorer, which frustrated Plumb even further.

He said: “In the end it felt like a defeat and I could see them getting an equaliser as, for the last 15 minutes, we went back to the way we played first half – poorly – having initially improved.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I left early and left them to it, as sometimes you might say things you don’t want to say.

“There’s no spark – and if we don’t get it sorted soon we won’t be in contention for the top three or four places.”

Rovers have an opportunity to appease their manager on Saturday when they visit Burton for the return fixture.

n Eynesbury’s defeat came on the back of their Hinchingbrooke Cup preliminary round exit following a 1-0 defeat at AFC Kempston Rovers last Tuesday.