INJURY-stricken Earlswood Town put in a valiant effort but slipped to a narrow 3-2 defeat away at Central Ajax.
After a goalless first-half at Ajax Park, the game exploded into life with a Shaye Eden hat-trick in the space of 11 minutes.
The Earls looked dead and buried but goals from Tom Kinsey and captain Louis Bridges ensured the visitors did not go down without a fight.
To make matters worse for Joel Hughes’ side – their seventh game in the space of two weeks – they were forced to play the last 20 minutes with just 10-men owing to injuries and a lack of availability on the bench.
Eden completed a hat-trick between the 54th and 65th-minute period with a stunning volley for his second being the highlight.
By that stage, both Johb Benjamin and George McArevey went off through injury but there was some cheer when Kinsey netted in the 67th minute.
However, things went from bad to worse for the visitors on 70 minutes when Tom Reynolds limped off with no replacement available.
A man down, the Earls rallied and arguably should have had a penalty with around 10 minutes remaining when Jamie Eden appeared draw a foul in the box.
A penalty did arrive in the 90th minute which Bridges’ converted for his 14th strike of the season to bring him level with Dan Elwell as the club’s top scorer this campaign.
Yet the spot-kick came too little too late for The Earls to be able to pull off a sensational comeback.
Earlswood are next in action against league leaders Redditch Borough on Thursday, May 2 with kick-off at 6.45pm at The Pavilions.
