Hartpury FC fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Bishops Cleeve at Kayte Lane on Tuesday night.
Despite dominating large portions of the proceedings, a first half own goal gifted the Mitres all three points in this Southern League Div One South clash.
The Acorns came into the fixture having made three changes from Saturday’s defeat to Bideford AFC, seeing Louis Manning, Drew Robinson and Josh Roney return to the starting squad.
A brilliant opportunity opened up for the Acorns on seven minutes when Nathan Jenkins was brought down in the area, but Riley McGregor saw his spot kick saved by Lewis Clayton before the follow up was fired over.
Jenkins saw an effort rise over the bar from 20-yards, on 17 minutes, after a driving run through the middle of the park.
It was Jenkins who went close again next, on 25 minutes, when his low effort across goal forced a fingertip save from Clayton, following a smart set piece from Kian Davies.
Manning whipped a dangerous free-kick towards goal but saw Clayton equal to the shot, on 31 minutes, before Davies had a close range effort blocked two minutes later.
Seth Locke was called into action on 35 minutes when he had to smother a Jamal Lawrence shot from close range.
But the Acorns hard work was undone on 36 minutes when an own goal put the Mitres ahead at the break.
HALF TIME – BISHOPS CLEEVE 1-0 HARTPURY FC
Cleeve’s best chance of the game created by themselves came on 49 minutes when Charlie Holliday dragged a close ranged effort past Locke’s far post.
Some brilliant play on the edge of the area saw Davies feed through Billy Osborn but he couldn’t connect well enough with his effort seeing the ball fall straight at Clayton, on 61 minutes.
Holliday wasted another Cleeve opportunity when he was played through but fired his effort well over the bar, on 68 minutes.
Jenkins squeezed through a few defenders on 78 minutes before poking an effort straight at Clayton, six minutes before Joao Silva had a close ranged effort blocked behind.
The Acorns fought until the very end and came close to salvaging a point deep into added time when Davies’ well struck free-kick was saved once again by the Mitres shot stopper.
This saw the Acorns fall to successive defeats despite a highly dominant performance on the night.
The Acorns will be looking to bounce back on Saturday when we welcome Barnstaple Town to the KMM Energy Stadium in the Southern League Div One South.
FULL TIME – BISHOPS CLEEVE 1-0 HARTPURY FC
STARTING XI: Locke (GK), Kent (Silva 73’), Robinson, McGregor, Roney, Aldridge (Symons 88’), Jenkins, Davies, Manning, Ewing, Osborn © (Coates 62’)
UNUSED SUBS: Preston, Callow
Written by Sam Yapp
