Kingsmere edge it late at Castle Meadow

One shot on target in the last half hour, and it went in. Sam Tattersall’s 77th-minute goal gave the leaders a 1-0 win and ended our unbeaten home run in front of 32,350, the biggest crowd at Castle Meadow this season.

For an hour it was the game everyone expected: tight, physical and even. Possession finished 51-49, the shots 15 each. Kwame Adebayo had the best of our chances, a header from Connor Pennington’s corner that went just over, and Euan Gallagher kept us level with two fine saves before the break.

The goal came from a turnover on halfway. Kingsmere broke three against two and Tattersall finished low to Gallagher’s right. We pushed for the rest of the game and forced six corners, but only two of our 15 shots hit the target.

“We didn’t do enough with the ball in their half, and against the top side that’s the whole story,” head coach Joe Clayton said. “We’re third, we’re seven points off them and we play them again. I’ll take that into the week.”

Next up: Lowbridge Athletic at Castle Meadow on Sunday, 2pm.