Laverstock & Ford 2

ERRORS at both ends of the park proved costly as Magpies went down to a narrow defeat at home to fellow strugglers Laverstock on Saturday.

Both sides had only one league win under their belts coming into the game. Alresford welcomed back regular keeper Dan Chapman from injury, but were missing winger Marc Pascual on holiday.

Laverstock almost scored after just two minutes when a snap shot from Darren Crook rebounded into play off the bar, but Alresford soon settled down. Matt Rackham again impressed in the Magpies' engine-room, and soon he and Paul Nelson combined to send Stuart Findlay through on goal. Findlay opted for placement rather than power, and Laverstock keeper Sam Pearce diverted the shot past the post.

The visitors took the lead from the penalty spot on 29 minutes when Paul Copping upended Graham Mankin in the box. Elliott Wykes sent Chapman the wrong way from the spot to put Laverstock one up.

Rackham and Simon Stillwell then set up Copping for a chance to make amends, but Pearce saved well and from the resulting corner Laverstock cleared off their own line.

Laverstock scored their second in first-half injury-time when the tigerish Rackham challenged once too often, fouling his man ten yards outside the box. From Wykes' free-kick Nick Newman somehow looped a header over Chapman and into the net.

In the second half Alresford pressed, but James Davis and Findlay both failed to get headers on target from excellent Warren Bentley crosses. Bentley reduced the deficit on 73 minutes, getting on the end of a Findlay knock-down to swivel and crack the ball past the wrong-footed Pearce.

But that was as good as it got for the Magpies, who huffed and puffed in the closing stages to no avail. James Wilkinson had two chances to level in the final five minutes, but shot straight at Pearce when well placed and then pulled another shot just wide of the post.

GREG BOUGHTON