Then after a nervy 90 minutes Blues shot-stopper Durrant saved Matthew Bateman’s spot kick in the 88th minute to do the double over Berkhamsted and put an end to an 11 match run without a win.

Brad Munn made three changes to the side that lost last weekend at St Ives. George Atwal returned to midfield while Tom Hewlett started up front and Lewis Belgrave made his home debut.

Spruce put The Blues ahead after just two minutes played. A long ball from Casey Johnson beat the Berkhamsted defence and fell perfectly for Spruce to run onto and slot past Jamie Head for an early opener.

Despite conceding the early goal The visitors did not let their heads drop and looked to exploit the wide areas in search of a reply.

Max Bustamante peeled away from his marker down the left and took aim but Durrant got down and made the save at the near post.

Connor Toomey then tried his luck from range but the effort from distance trickled narrowly wide of the far post.

Sami Bessadi had a great chance to bring the match level as he found time and space for a volley inside The Blues’ box but the attacking midfielder was denied by the crossbar.

As the half progressed Durrant was called into action several times but commanded his area well and preserved the one-goal lead as we went in at the break.

In the second half, Burton Albion loanee Hewlett came close to doubling the lead on more than one occasion but his efforts from out wide missed the target by mere inches.

Nathan Tyson was quick to make an impact after his introduction from the bench. The pacey forward won a free kick by the corner flag which Jack Rogers whipped in and Riece Bertram fired over the bar inside a bustling Berkhamsted box.

Back at the other end of the pitch, Berkhamsted were denied by the woodwork yet again — this time Bateman’s effort crashed off the post and away from the Long Eaton goal.

With time running out for the visitors, the referee awarded a penalty after Jamie Hanson was adjudged to have committed a foul in the box.

Bateman stepped up to take the spot kick but Durrant dived the right way and sealed the victory for Long Eaton.