First half goals by Halim Bangura and Hussein Issa put the visitors 2-0 up going into the half time break.
Evan Garnett’s late penalty minimised the goal deficit to one, however it was a loss for the Blues in the end.
Joshua Strouts posed a threat within the first opening encounters of the match. His first chance of the game coming from a run with the ball from inside his own half. He got into the box, pulled the trigger with his left however Ben Allsop remained big to deny the striker.
Luke Skinner was called into action for the visitors when he tipped Gianluca Bucci’s header onto the crossbar. A scramble occurred near the goal line however the game remained goalless.
Owen Betts’s header from the right side of the box took a deflection off of a defender and scraped wide of the left post. Long Eaton were getting a foothold in the game after early Loughborough domination.
The Blues were holding more of the ball, with Jamie Clapham’s Loughborough looking dangerous on the counter.
Hussein Issa was wheeling away in celebration when he thought he put Loughborough one up. He took the ball around Allsop and with an open net to shoot into, his left footed effort connected with the crossbar. Bucci cleared any danger.
Ryan Campbell-Gordon was forced off in the 35th minute after going down with what looked like a back injury. He was replaced by Abdul Saad who slotted in at left back.
Loughborough Students were 1-0 up in the 40th minute. Strouts strong hold-up play allowed him to turn on the edge of the box and play a steady pass on the edge of the box to Halim Bangura. The midfielder’s first timed shot travelled into the roof of the net, having too much power on it for Allsop to keep out.
Students doubled their lead just before the half-time whistle. A quick free kick was taken on the right side. Max McCoy was slipped in down the right flank allowing him to play a first timed low cross into the box. Hussein Issa ran onto the ball and finished high into the top right corner. The Blues had it all to do in the second 45.
There was one change at the break for the home side with captain Andrew Wright being replaced by Liam Loughlan.
The beginning of the second half was the host for half chances from both sides, however either side failed to really look to add to the scoreline.
James Shaw was replaced by Ronnie Kokkinos in the 71st minute.
Evan Garnett forced Skinner into a top save in the 76th minute. He cushioned the ball with his chest and on the turn he swung his right boot at the ball but Skinner got down to his left quickly to keep the visitors 2-0 up.
Bangura came close to netting his second goal of the game when his free-kick from the left side of the box hit the right post.
Abdul Saad was replaced by Jamie Hanson in the 87th minute.
A penalty was awarded for the Blues in the 88th minute when James Taylor was brought down in the box.
Garnett converted the spot kick into the bottom left corner, sending Skinner the wrong way.
Connor Pace thought he equalised the game in the 91st minute, in fact everyone every Long Eaton fan in the ground did. His right footed shot from outside of the box was travelling into the bottom right corner if it was not for a wonder save by Skinner. The keeper had had a game to remember.
The referee blew for full time with the game finishing 2-1 in favour of Loughborough students.