Urchins manager Mark Stimson made one change from the side who drew 2-2 with Kingstonian on Saturday - Ronnie Winn dropped to the bench to make way for midfielder Nathan Livings who returned to the starting line-up for the clash.

The hosts got off to a strong start and thought they should have had a penalty inside the third minute when attacker George Purcell was pushed over inside the box.

Two minutes later the host’s midfielder Lewis Spence drilled a shot from behind the halfway line and it only just spiralled wide of the goal.

George Saunders then picked out defender Kenzer Lee inside the box with his free-kick but his header went wide.

In the 13th minute the visitors George Nicholas picked out team-mate Keegan Cole inside the box. The striker shot but his effort was comfortably held by goalkeeper Callum Chafer.

Saunders then used his pace to get down the right and collect the ball; the winger then raced in and drilled a shot just wide of the post.

The hosts then feared the worst as Chafer went down in pain after striker Bradley Sach followed through as the keeper kicked the ball clear.

Sach then broke clear on the keeper moments later after being played through by midfielder Lee O’Leary but Chafer tipped his effort away in the 30th minute.

Chafer was called upon once again as he had to deny Sach again as he tried to head home a Mahrez Bettache cross at the back post.

The Scholars continued to pile on the pressure and this time Dernell Wynter curled a shot just wide of the post from 25 yards.

Wynter then had another chance as he twisted and turned, before getting a shot off but Chafer was equal to his effort.

Urchins Saunders curled a free-kick onto the head of Purcell but his effort went over the bar.

But shortly after Purcell whipped a corner in for Jordan Clark whose header went wide of the goal as he rose above the bundle of players.

Sach was played through on goal by Keegan Cole in the 57th minute, cut back ahead of the back line, and picked out the bottom corner to give his side a 1-0 lead.

Ten minutes later the Scholars Stefan Powell drove a shot from distance but it went flying over the bar.

The hosts substitute Ronnie Winn then brought the ball down superbly, brought it in tight, played it out left for Jay Porter.

The left-back let fly but was denied by Berkley Laurencin.

In the 86th minute Stimson’s chances of an equaliser became slimmer as Lewis Spence raced through on goal, pushed the ball too far ahead and failed to get a shot off.

The midfielder tried to win the ball from the keeper and was given a second yellow card to be sent off.

The Scholars goalkeeper Laurencin was also booked for pushing Spence.

AFC Hornchurch: Chafer, Bentley, Lee, Clark, Porter, Hogan (R.Winn 67), Spence, Livings, Saunders, Purcell, Boakye-Yiadom.

Unused subs: Hursit and G.Winn.

Potters Bar Town: Laurencin, Bettache, Lomas, O’Leary, Budden, Grace, Powell (Qarris 81), Nicholas, Cole (Costa Dias Fernandes 77), Sach, Wynter.

Unused subs: Doyle, Hobbs, Morgan-Cummings.