There was more frustration on the road in London for AFC Portchester with a 3-1 defeat at Hayes and Yeading United.
Saturday’s setback was the third straight defeat in the capital for the Royals since they began their Isthmian League South Central Division campaign.
The visitors created some good chances which made the game closer than the scoreline suggests, but when the big moments arrived during the 90 minutes it was a story of the home side taking theirs and Portchester being so close but yet so far on a number of key occasions.
Hayes and Yeading United took the lead on 15 minutes after they won a free kick on the edge of the box. Kaylen Hinds put his shot low past the defensive wall and the ball beat keeper Steven Mowthorpe into the corner of the net.
Lee Wort had two opportunities on the half hour mark – first he fired his low shot straight at keeper Aaron Watkins after being set up by Tommy Scutt, and then Conor Bailey’s cross-field pass found him in the right hand side of the penalty area and his attempt to lift the ball over Watkins was partially deflected and it dropped into the side netting.
Brett Pitman went even closer to equalising on 35 minutes when he met a cross from the right but although his header beat Watkins, it thumped back off the crossbar.
Pitman went close again shortly afterwards when his free kick from just outside the box curled around the defensive wall but Watkins got down well to his left to make the save.
Just when it looked like the Royals were going to get themselves back into this game they conceded a second goal three minutes before half time.
A quick break saw Hinds beat the offside trap and race clear, and after drawing Mowthorpe off his line he slipped the ball inside to Sam Ashton who had the simplest of side foots into the empty net.
Portchester had the first chance of the second half on 50 minutes when a throw in from the right found Archie Willcox but his shot was deflected wide.
The game was put beyond the Royals on 57 minutes when the home side netted their third goal. Mowthorpe’s attempt to play the ball out quickly was intercepted and Ryan Ewhare lofted the ball back over him and into the empty net.
The outcome of this game could have been very different if the visitors had taken the chances which fell their way in the closing stages.
With nine minutes to go substitute Josh Clack delivered an inviting cross from the right into the box but Pitman missed the ball when well placed to score.
He did pull a goal back for the visitors on 84 minutes when substitute Connor Duffin won possession of the ball on the right hand side of the box and played the perfect ball inside to Pitman, who side footed his shot home.
On 90 minutes another Clack cross from the right was only partially cleared by the defence buy Pitman blasted his shot over from the edge of the penalty area.
In injury time a corner from the left was headed just over by Duffin at the near post and a free kick played up deep into the box was headed back across goal to Pitman but his flick went just over.
