Cippenham Sports slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Stoke Green Rovers Reserves on Saturday despite dominating large periods of the match.

Cippenham created a chance in the opening seconds when Luke Batting dinked a ball over the head of the Stoke Green left back for Ben Hancock to race onto. However, Hancock drilled his shot straight at the Stoke Green keeper. Stoke Green took the lead against the run of play courtesy of a free header from a soft free kick. Jamie Dunning saw his sweetly struck shot palmed onto a post and then when the Stoke Green keeper scuffed his clearance Dunning’s resulting chip was headed off the line by a covering defender. Cippenham were then awarded a penalty after Dunning was brought down. James Nunn took the spot kick which was brilliantly saved and although Bradley Davidson cut the rebound back to Nunn who smashed the ball home past the defender on the line the goal was ruled out for offside. Cippenham went into the break stunned having fallen behind to Stoke Green only effort on target in the first half.

The second half was a more open and even affair with Cippenham keeper Pete Collins tipping an audacious chip onto the woodwork and away to safety. Batting, Dunning, Davidson and substitute Michael Bevan rained shots on the Stoke Green goal but to ne avail. Stoke Green struck the woodwork again from a long range effort and they went close with another effort as Cippenham pressed forward in search of an equaliser. Keith Oswald and Paul Gardner both headed wide as Cippenham piled on the pressure however they failed to breach the Stoke Green defence, who held firm to record a gritty, unlikely win.

Cippenham Team: - Collins, Oswald, Dent, Townshend, Hancock, Pyper, Cumming, Batting (Gardner, 65), Murtagh (Nunn, 15), Davidson (Bevan, 60) & Dunning.