Buntingford Town 1 Park Street 2 TWO goals in a sloppy 10 minutes cost Buntingford as they slipped to their second league defeat of the season. With both teams occupying the top two positions at the start of play it was always going to be a close game.

Buntingford Town 1 Park Street 2

TWO goals in a sloppy 10 minutes cost Buntingford as they slipped to their second league defeat of the season.

With both teams occupying the top two positions at the start of play it was always going to be a close game. But after an impressive first-half Town will certainly be disappointed with the result especially in the manner that they threw it away.

Manager Paul Attfield said: "Our performance was as good as any this season, but for the 10 minutes of madness in the second half. We just switched off after the interval and our lapses in concentration have been a massive concern in this early part of the season."

Luke Robins and Tom Malins were again a constant threat out wide and with their crosses and attacks from the flanks creating Town's best chances.

Robins and Liam Beaumont both went close in the early stages, with Malins and Will Turl forcing the visiting keeper to make two great saves.

And with their opponents offering very little threat, the home side deservedly took the lead 10 minutes before the break when Robins directed a 16 yard header into the top corner of the Park Street net.

However, in the second half a different Town emerged and with an uncharacteristic drop in work rate allowed Park Street to gain control.

And within three minutes the visitors had levelled when a long free kick was nodded down with a Park Street striker converting unmarked from close range.

They then almost increased their lead with a header and another close range effort, before they eventually grabbed a second when a cross field pass was slid home from 10 yards.

Town did wake up, but it was all little too late as Malins went close with a free header before Beaumont, Conor De Lacy and Turl saw efforts come to nothing.

John Bitting also hit the bar with one powerful strike as Buntingford searched for an equaliser, but as their heads dropped so did the points.

Attfield said: "Most of the goals we have conceded this season this season have been down to collective or individual lapses in concentration. Ultimately all the effort put into this game has been wasted due to 10 minutes naivety on our part."

- Buntingford Town: Williamson; Endacott (Easley), M Babbage, Cain, J Babbage; De Lacy, Beaumont, Bitting, Malins, Robins; Turl.