Town's travelling fans plus Paddock's members day event made for a sizeable crowd at the home of Hyde United and hopes were high for an entertaining game ahead of kick off.

But Town were behind from early in the game when on ten minutes a Paddock free kick was not dealt with and Cam Watters snook in at the back post to put the home team ahead.

The Paddock offside trap was efficient enough to catch Town offside six times in what proved to be a frustrating first half.

Eventually Town found a work around and Lewis Bateman's late run into the area saw him upended as he controlled a Morris cross to win a penalty.

Up stepped captain Liam Diggle but excellent Paddock keeper Salceanu who dove to his left saved the spot kick.

One nil down at half time but having had the better exchanges of the last few minutes of the half, Town went into the second stanza with a renewed optimism and would finally seem to be rewarded on 55 minutes with a fine left foot Lewis Bateman volley that hit the back of the net after another foray forward from right back.

However it would be ruled out for another controversial offside decision. To rub salt into the wounds, Paddock would go back up field in the next passage of play to make it 2-0 with a well taken Sam Pratt goal.

Town would rally again; Charlie Simpson was pulled back when clean on goal resulting in a Paddock yellow card that likely should have been red and Ellis Morris would hit the outside of the post.

Paddock put the final nail in the coffin with a De Andrade penalty as Town fell to a second defeat of the season.

Stretford Paddock remain top of the league but Town still have games in hand on the early pacesetters in the title race.

There were few bright spots on a grey afternoon for Town but Oliver Filson's performance in midfield did not deserve to be on a losing side and earned him the St Helens Borough Food Pantry player of the match award whilst youngster Daniel Yawson who made a second half debut showed promise for the future.