The impact of Messrs Buswell, Sneddon and Lozada returning to the fold was evident early on as the Bears showed a bit more verve and swagger than their previous outing.

Despite some cagey initial exchanges though, Lambton began to find their feet and exert some pressure on their opponents, earning a few corners and mustering some half chances.

A hairy moment in the 37th minute nearly saw an own goal for the ages after a deflected clearance attempt from a Jaffas corner, but the Bears' blushes were spared as keeper Stuart Plant confidently punched the ball away from its would-be top corner destination.

A controversial incident arose in the 41st though; while Plant produced a smart stop to deny a fizzing low drive from the edge of the box, his handling of the follow-up - a relatively innocuous looking attempt from an acute angle - was less convincing, and led to a situation where VAR goal line technology would have certainly come in handy.

The Jaffas players and travelling supporters alike were livid, but the referee was having none of it and the opening stanza would ultimately end scoreless.

Upon emerging from the sheds, the Bears looked to up the ante and put more of a stamp on the contest.

Just a minute into the second half, it was the hosts who felt aggrieved, this time appealing strongly for a handball from an Aaron Niyonkuru corner only for the referee to determine there was nothing doing.

Despite a flurry of corners over the following three minutes, Weston were unable to deliver a telling blow. Dutch import Moustafa Mohammad was next to have a crack in the 51st minute from close range, but his angled strike sailed well over the bar.

A cleverly taken 54th free kick from skipper Nathan Morris found the head of beanpole midfielder Cooper Buswell at the near post, but the latter's attempt only kissed the outside of the woodwork.

Morris reversed roles in the 58th, getting on the end of a well executed Niyonkuru corner but glancing his headed attempt agonisingly wide from close range.

His 63rd minute free kick attempt was not so close though, still rising by the time it reached the members' carpark.

Buswell made way in the 74th minute for Connor Heydon, who was seeing his first top grade action in 2022. The mid-afternoon kick off time appeared to be taking its toll on the players, with cramp rapidly becoming a factor.

Joey O'Connor replaced Zac Sneddon in the 81st minute as a result, and the latter part of the contest proved something of a war of attrition.

Jacob Brownlow would enter the fray in the 86th minute, replacing Niyonkuru as the Bears sought to inject another fresh set of legs and try to break the contest open. It was the visitors, though, who would plunge a dagger through their hearts.

A well placed cross field long ball in the 89th minute arrived at the feet of marksman Kale Bradbery, who controlled the ball well and slotted coolly past plant into the bottom left corner.

After barely getting into the Bears' final third in the entiretyof the second half, the Jaffas went close to making it two in the 91st minute as a defensive brain fade forced Plant into a clutch stop one on one.

Chris Hurley's speculative 95th attempt that was sent into the stratosphere would prove the Bears' final action of any consequence, as the Jaffas made their way back up the other end to put an exclamation mark on proceedings; Bradbery completing a late brace in the 96th with the hosts' defence in all sorts.

The Bears would be left to rue their failure to make a quarter hour period of sustained dominance to open the second half count on the scoreboard in what was otherwise a contest with little separating the two sides.

Losing a match is never an enjoyable experience but to concede so late always adds a little extra sting. They will need to regroup ahead of a must win clash next Sunday against Valentine to ensure their finals hopes are not extinguished before they can gather momentum.