With the same starting eleven that lined up against East Preston last week we started the match brightly enough and on ten minutes we went ahead when a Scott Faber struck a sweet dipping lob from just outside their box which dropped nicely under the Oak cross bar, eluding their keeper Stenning for 1-0.

Minutes later Charlie Romain came close to doubling our lead when he burst through to have his low shot palmed away and soon after Chad Milner and Rob Clark linked up well for Clark to cut in from the left to test their keeper again with another low strike.
On twenty five though and quite against the run of play at the time, Oak pulled level. A Benn cross from the right found Danny Curd at the far post who powered his header past Ben Rose for 1-1.

The goal boosted our visitors as they became sharper and dangerous on the counter.
However, right up until the break we remained the more dominant side and on chances created we should have gone in at least a goal to the good.

Romain and Craig Knowles played a nice 'one-two' only for Knowles to go that little bit too far in and drag his shot just wide of target and the lively Milner had a couple of good attempts saved again by Stenning.

So, 1-1 at the break and all to play for. Half time - Town 1 Mile Oak 1

The second half did n't start too well for us with Ben Rose called into action early on and in the forty ninth minute we went behind when Enzo Benn got on the end of a corner from the right to head in for 1-2.

The Oak then started to really come at us and minutes later the vibrant Benn broke through again to have his shot well saved by Rose, diving low to his left.

Substitutions were made as we chased the game with Ollie Hartley, Ross Adams and Jason Webb replacing Scott Faber, Chad Milner and Ash Finch respectively.
We seemed to lose our incision somewhat though and again that final product wasn't always quite right.

Adams may have done better putting a close range attempt wide of right and Romain shot too high after some good work by Clark.

At the other end some good handling from Rose and robust defending in particularly from Lewis Levoi were required at times to keep the score line margin down to just one.

Indeed, another disappointing result and again in a match where based on chances created throughout we really should have ended up with something but a combination of bad luck and the final product not always being as it should proved costly. And of course losing to one of our promotion rivals means vital ground has been lost.
But hopefully we can get back to winning ways when we head over to Brighton next Saturday for a date with AFC Varndeanians at Withdean Stadium (KO on the day 3pm).

Final score - Steyning Town 1 Mile Oak 2

Town line up - Rose, Greer, Finch (c) (Webb), Pickford, Levoi, Elms, Knowles, Romain, Milner (Adams), Faber (Hartley), Clark Unused subs - Finney, Gunn

Ref - Tobias Pinesmith Assts - Stephen Johnson & Nicholas Fines