Ardley United paid the pri-ce for poor finishing as they went down to an agonising last-minute 3-2 defeat against ten-man visitors Bracknell Town on Saturday.

It was the hosts’ first home Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division defeat since they lost to Ascot United on September 23.

It saw Kevin Brock’s side fall ten points behind leaders Highmoor Ibis, though they do have two games in hand on the Berkshire outfit.

Ardley took the lead in the second minute.

Ricky Johnson headed Jon Gardner’s cross to Luke Ingram whose shot beat Garry Aulsberry in Bracknell’s goal.

However, on 15 minutes, Bracknell equalised when Sam Whiting fired a shot past Ardley keeper Jack Harding.

Five minutes later, Brack-nell went 2-1 up when Scott Drummond-Bayne shot home.

Ardley levelled on 24 minutes.

Joe Eyre fed Gardner whose cross was headed past Aulsberry into the top corner by Johnson.

Gardner thought he had made it 3-2, only to be denied at point-blank range.

The visitors were reduced to ten men just after the hour, when Cooper-Clark was red- carded for a push on Harding.

Ardley turned up the heat, but failed to take their chances through a combination of poor finishing, good defending and top goalkeeping.

And they paid the price when Jake White scored the winner in the last minute.

On Saturday, Ardley travel to Cheltenham Saracens.