Jon Gardner scored a late winner as Ardley United got back on track with a 1-0 home success against Binfield on Tuesday night.

The result saw Kevin Brock’s side stay three points clear at the top of the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division and was the perfect response to Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Flackwell Heath – their first for four months.

The last time Ardley lost in the league had been in November when they went down 2-1 at Highmoor Ibis.

It was Ardley who came closest to scoring when Ryan Brooks was brought down, only for the referee to deny him a penalty.

Both sides struggled to create chances after the break and it wasn’t until three minutes from time that Ardley broke the deadlock.

Binfield’s defence failed to deal with an Ardley corner and Gardner volleyed home through a tightly-packed pen-alty area and into the net.

Ardley then saw the game out.

In Saturday’s game, Callum Convey’s 16th-minute penalty put Ardley ahead after Troy Bryan was fouled.

But Jamie West equalised in the 52nd minute for Flackwell after Ardley goalkeeper Jack Har-ding collided with Kelvin McIntosh.

West struck again in the 58th minute.

And Ardley’s fate was sealed when Gavin James’s cross in the 90th-minute sailed over Harding and into the net to complete a miserable afternoon for the visitors.

This weekend, Ardley travel to Highworth Town.