Stand-in coach Randy Duck presided over a monumental Brighton Bears comeback last night, then admitted: "I hate this job."

Bears were 23 points down after almost 30 pitiful minutes against Newcastle Eagles at the Brighton Centre.

They responded in stunning style, taking the final quarter 34-10 for a 96-93 success which keeps them hot on the heels of British League leaders Sheffield.

Form like this, however, will not win them the league. Nor will it scare London Towers in Saturday's BBL Trophy semi final.

Duck, standing in for head coach Nick Nurse, admits he is finding it tough making the switch from player to play caller.

He said: "I don't like this at all. I look at the guys and I know they are capable of playing so much better.

"I'm yelling and screaming at them and taking them out of the game and nothing seems to work.

"As a player you can immediately affect the game. Standing here on the side is different and I'm having a hard time with it.

"I don't want this job at all. I'm not ready for it."

Eagles headed back north furious with some of the refereeing decisons given and there was no doubt they deserved to win.

Shawn Myers and Jerry Hyatt were red hot for half an hour while Bears were passive in defence, lacked movement at the other end, threw the ball away far too often and generally left a small crowd to sit and watch in depressed silence.

Then it all changed. The outstanding Rico Alderson led a 15-0 run to make a game of it and Bears kept chipping away.

Hyatt's fade away jumper meant Eagles still led by five inside the last two minutes.

Mike Brown, though, at long last got a three to drop to make it 91-89, then Kendrick Warren forced his way through to level it as he was fouled by Myers.

The subsequent free throw edged Bears into a one-point lead with 83 seconds to go and the crowd on their feet.

Bears forced a 24-second violation and Brown's four successive free throws settled the contest before Myers grabbed a tip-in in the last second.

The finale will be remembered for years but Duck and his players will know this display was not good enough.