Grantham Town lose to North Ferriby in the Northern Premier League
Two goals in added time at the end of the first half gave Grantham a second half mountain to climb in Saturday's home match with North Ferriby.
They couldn't do it and, for the second time this season, went down 4-2 against the play-off chasing Villagers side, writes Graham Cowell.
The Gingerbreads are now in a league position that head coach Louis Bland said is difficult as they find themselves six points adrift of safety.
Bland said: "We gifted them goals at important times in the game.
"We allowed them to score too easily and that's why we are where we are.
"We have conceded too many poor goals and it's something we have to rectify quickly or relegation will be a formality."
Both sides held the ball well in an even open exchange.
North Ferriby had an early chance for Thomas Corner but he fired over the crossbar when a long throw dropped nicely for him.
The Gingerbreads took an early lead with nine minutes on the clock.
Curtis Morrison took off on a run from inside his own half and drove a low cross into the visitors six-yard box. At the far post, Harry Wood arrived to turn the ball into the net.
Ryan Rushen had a chance to add to the lead a couple of minutes later when Grantham worked a good position, but the striker lifted his shot over the top from the edge of the penalty area.
With a quarter-of-an-hour gone, Ferriby equalised.
A free kick from Joshua Whitely was delivered into the edge of the Grantham six-yard box. Central defender Dom Roma was unmarked as he headed past Curtis Hall.
The two sides were evenly matched for most of the first half.
The Gingerbreads created shooting opportunities but couldn’t find the net.
Brad Munns volleyed over the crossbar and Rushen twice had chances, first appearing to be pushed off the ball, then getting a shot away that was straight at Tom Jackson in the Ferriby goal.
The visitors had chances of their own around the half hour mark.
From another free kick, Corner won the first header and found Niall Tilsley unmarked, but the Ferriby captain put his header over the Grantham crossbar.
A minute later, Harry Wallis put over a cross that Amir Berchil nodded on for Matty Dixon, but he also missed the target.
Ferriby goalkeeper Jackson had to make a good save to keep scores level 10 minutes before half-time. A ball over the top of the visitors’ defence found Wood. He got a shot away but couldn’t beat Jackson.
With half-time approaching, Grantham looked good value for a level score at the break, but twice in added time the Gingerbreads allowed Ferriby to score.
First a cross was flicked on by Corner for Levi Tarbotton to head in.
A minute later, the Grantham defence were breached again. Another delivery into the penalty area was pounced on by the visitors. Tarbotton hit the post and the rebound fell to an unmarked Corner who struck his shot firmly past Hall.
The second half was less frenetic than the first with Ferriby largely controlling the pace of the game.
It took a quarter-of-an-hour before either side created a chance after the break. It was the Gingerbreads who made it, Morrison played Rushen out on the wing and, when the Grantham striker's cross came in, Morrison got to the ball but skewed his effort wide.
Ferriby increased pressure on the Gingerbreads as the game moved into the last 20 minutes.
Corner played a pass through for former Gingerbread Luke Hinsley, but the ball was too far in front of the striker for him to reach.
The Gingerbreads then gave up the ball in midfield and Berchil turned quickly to hit a shot that Hall did well to save.
The pressure told in the 73rd minute. Referee Mr Parker awarded a penalty for handball. Whitely stepped up and fired comfortably past Hall to make it 4-1 to the visitors.
Grantham didn’t give up and gave themselves a slim hope of getting something out of the game in the 87th minute.
Sisa Tuntulwana chased through to challenge Jackson and beat the Ferriby goalkeeper to the ball. His touch past Jackson left Tuntulwana with a simple tap into the empty net.
Rushen had another chance in added time that went wide of the mark, then squared the ball for Rodrigo Goncalves but his shot was deflected for a corner.
Tuntulwana saved Grantham further embarrassment in the last minute with a good clearance to deny Whitely, but it made no difference to the final score.