Tonbridge 1 Hornchurch 0

Relegation-threatened Urchins suffered more penalty pain as they slipped to Conference South defeat in Kent last night.

Having seen Maidenhead convert from the spot in their 2-0 win at Bridge Avenue on Saturday, and Martin Tuohy miss at the other end, Jimmy McFarlane’s men were sent to their latest loss by a Chris Piper penalty just before half-time.

Urchins have now gone eight league games without a win, taking just four points from a possible 24, and find themselves facing a fight for survival in their final dozen matches of the campaign.

Honours had finished even when the two sides met at Hornchurch Stadium last month and Leon McKenzie fired an early chance wide for the visitors on seven minutes.

But they had a let-off when a poor back pass by Alex Bentley was seized upon by a Tonbridge striker and fired over the crossbar.

Lewis Smith replaced Martin Tuohy, who had been unwell recently, six minutes before the break and the hosts took the lead on the stroke of half-time when the referee pointed to the spot.

Piper stepped up to beat Joe Woolley from 12 yards and it proved decisive.

Jimmy McFarlane sent Chris Bourne and Wayne Gray on midway through the second half to bolster his attacking options, but Urchins could not find a way through.

They host Staines in a relegation six-pointer on Saturday before visiting Waltham Abbey for an Essex Senior Cup semi-final tie next Tuesday.

Hornchurch: Woolley, Coyne, Bentley, Tomlinson (Bourne 69), Goodacre, Noel, Eyong (Gray 74), Curley, Tuohy (Smith 39), McKenzie, Spencer.