DESPITE having led 3-1 at half-time, DPR boss Liam Lewis was relieved his side got a draw from their 5-5 epic with Uruguay Sociedad in Division Three.

The result means status quo is maintained in a division, where the games in-hand will play a big part in shaping the eventual winners.

DPR remain second, five-points off top. That position could have been improved for Lewis’ side, had they not squandered their first-half advantage.

Having gone 1-0 down early on, Chris Wells equalised, with Mark Chatwin and Tom McCulloch netting to make it 3-1 at half-time.

“We didn’t start quite how we wanted to it, but Chris Well equalised and we took over the rest of the half,” said Lewis.

At this stage Lewis was very pleased with how the game was unfolding, but could not have foreseen the six second-half goals that meant his side left only with a point.

Sociedad notched twice in the early stages after the break to bring the scores level and as the half progressed DPR actually ended up chasing the game, requiring goals from Lewis Chatwin and a late penalty from McCulloch to bail them out.

“We were in control at half-time and the message was to keep hold of it and that didn’t quite happen,” added Lewis.

“We went 4-3, then brought it back to 4-4. Then we gave away a silly penalty for 5-4, then won a penalty for 5-5.

“It was quite an end-to-end game that must have been entertaining for spectators, but not so fun for me.”

Lewis believes it will be between his side and Sociedad for the title come the end of the season.

Both sides are well-placed with games in-hand on league leaders, Woodlands Edge, and by the end of Sunday’s game the DPR manager was just pleased his side did not cede ground to their rivals.

“The league will go between us and them, so it was a good game we had to win. The return game now will decide who wins it, as we’re both quite comfortable,” he said.

“The return game will be a big one.

“We knew they would be a challenge. Personally I thought we were the stronger team throughout the game, but we were just a bit clumsy in defence and that cost us.

“It was mixed emotions afterwards. We were 3-1 up at half-time thinking we should cruise it and by full-time quite thankful we drew the game, because we were behind twice in the last 10-15 minutes.

“We felt like we should have won the game and that we were the better team, but by the end it was a relief to get the draw.

“I don’t think it shouldn’t have gone that way.”