CHERRY RECORDS HELLENIC LEAGUE: HIGH-FLYING Pewsey Vale saw their unbeaten home record bite the dust as they slipped to a shock defeat at the hands of lowly Easington Sports on Saturday.

Pewsey were denied by the woodwork on four occasions and had a goal disallowed but went down to a solitary Mike Marsh strike eight minutes after the break.

The hosts could have taken the lead as early as the fifth minute when a Paul Day, who had netted in each of his four previous outings, saw a header hit the crossbar.

Pewsey goalkeeper John Haines denied Easington moments later with a point blank save after a slip by defender Steve Thomas had given Lee Harris a golden opportunity.

Striker Ross Anderson thought he had given the home side the lead midway through the half when he forced the ball home following a corner, but the effort was ruled out for a push.

Anderson was again denied by visiting goalkeeper Jason Dyer, before Easington took the lead in bizarre circumstances in the 53rd minute.

Pewsey goalkeeper Haines' attempted clearance hit the back of a home defender and Marsh nipped in to break the deadlock.

Pewsey manager Don Rogers was disappointed with the result but felt Lady Luck had not been kind to his side.

He said: "We hit the bar twice and the post twice and missed two from six yards out. If we'd have played all afternoon we wouldn't have scored.

"I wouldn't say they were a poor side, but they weren't very good. Even the goal they scored was down to us and it was one of those days.

"They tried really hard, but even their manager said to me at the end of the game we didn't deserve to lose.

Pewsey began a run of three cup matches away to Bishops Cleeve in the RPM Records Cup last night and face local rivals Marlborough in the Wiltshire Senior Cup on Saturday. Rogers' side will then travel to Newbury for a Hungerford Cup clash on Tuesday evening.