KYLE Flew’s late equaliser denied Bude Town a third straight victory as they were held to a 2-2 draw by mid-table Wadebridge Town.

Flew gave the Bridgers a more than deserved half-time lead, but after Tornado Bello and Finn Reeve put a much-improved Seasiders side in front, the Blues failed to hold on thanks to Flew’s moment of magic.

Bude had beaten neighbours Holsworthy on Boxing Day thanks to Dylan Morgan’s stunner, and he was the only change to the starting 11 as he replaced Piran Friend on the right of the front three.

Wadebridge were looking for a response from their River Camel derby defeat to Camelford, and were lucky not to fall behind inside a minute as Morgan headed straight at goalkeeper Steve Raven from six yards.

However, the Bridgers were in front on 25 minutes as a goal-kick from centre-half Ewan Reeves was cut out and after a couple of passes, Flew made no mistake.

Bude’s midfield were struggling but the hosts missed a second big chance when Harrison Swatton’s shot from the edge of box hit the inside of the post and Billy Hopcroft could only slice the rebound over the bar.

The visitors then twice forced brilliant saves out of home keeper Ty Rowe. The first saw him save a header from point-blank range before he diverted a long-range effort on to the woodwork.

Bude were given a dressing down at half-time and were much better after the restart.

They were level on 57 minutes as Swatton’s ball in from the left was stabbed in by Bello.

Two minutes later the Seasiders were in front as substitute right-back Mason Tape sent in a long angled free-kick which left-back Finn Reeve cushioned into the net from close-range.

The visitors were left furious when a through ball was slotted away, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside, while at the other end Bude felt they should have had a penalty when Friend went down in the box.

Wadebridge weren’t to be denied however as on 88 minutes as a long goal-kick from Rowe hit the unfortunate Friend before a pass forward found Flew who lobbed the ball in from 25 yards.

Bude boss Steve Hackett admitted he had mixed emotions.

He said: “If you’s said to me at half-time we’d get a draw I’d have snapped your hand off because Wadebridge should have been out of sight.

“But with the way we played in the second half I ended up being disappointed not to win the game.

“However, I’m sure Wadebridge will probably think the same but in the opposite way. It was a weird game of football.”

Hackett did have praise for Reeve and Swatton and the way the players responded after half-time.

He concluded: “Finn was comfortably our man-of-the-match yesterday and was faultless, while Harrison played really well in both halves.

“But to be fair to the boys, after several really struggled in the first half, they turned around.”

Bude, who stay seventh, visit mid-table Wendron United on Saturday (3pm).

BUDE TOWN: Ty Rowe; Jamie Gorst, James Wheeler, Ewan Reeves (capt), Finn Reeve; Harry Hopcroft, Billy Hopcroft, Archie Perrott; Dylan Morgan, Tornado Bello, Harrison Swatton. Subs: Mason Tape, Abdul Deifa, Jack Biddick, Aaron Hart, Piran Friend.

Seasiders’ man-of-the-match: Finn Reeve.