Basingstoke Town 2, Hitchin 3

CHRISTMAS came early to The Camrose - but it wasn't the home side celebrating, as Basingstoke Town gifted three goals to lowly Hitchin.

Manager Ernie Howe is now resting his hopes on the return of injured defender Don Forbes to shore up his backline when Town travel to Aldershot on Boxing Day - their next league game.

Having surrendered the lead on Saturday, Town managed to get back to 2-2 but they still ended up losers.

Rueful Howe said: "Poor defending cost us. We have given them three goals. We're pushing up when we shouldn't be, we're not marking players and not picking up the runners."

The defeat - Town's fourth on the trot at home - may start the alarm bells ringing, but with Forbes, Sean Gorman and Glenn Howes all set to return by the end of the year, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

If it wasn't for Town's defensive gifts to Hitchin, they would surely have won this game as Warren Haughton - the new striker on a month's loan from Woking - looked lively.

He was twice denied by good saves in the second-half as Town pounded the Hitchin goal for the last 15 minutes.

It was Hitchin who had the first chance of the game in the eighth minute. David Bass found Shaun Mitchell, he clipped the ball over Town 'keeper Scott Tarr, but Paul Wilkinson cleared off the line.

Soon after, Efan Elad was forced out of the contest with a hamstring injury. But Town still opened the scoring on 15 minutes as a Jason Eaton cross was put away by Matt Hayfield, celebrating his first start since October with his first goal for the club.

Minutes later, another Hayfield cross found Eaton at the far post and he headed just over.

On 24 minutes, Tarr dropped a ball in the area, which Scott Cretton reacted to first, but his shot was blocked by Jason Bristow.

The visitors drew level on 35 minutes as Marshall found Matt Nolan on the edge of the area and his chip sailed into the net.

Worse was to follow as a nice break saw Ian Scott find Marshall. Tarr got his hand to the ensuing low shot but it still went in to make it 2-1 on 42 minutes.

Even if Hitchin started the second half better, it was Basingstoke who scored on 54 minutes as a Paul Wilkinson corner was headed in at the near post by Jason Eaton.

But the joy was short-lived as five minutes later Jon Bone put in Nolan for his second as, once again, the defence was all at sea.

Just after the hour, striker Tim Sills joined the action and, shortly after, shot just wide from a Sam Keevill pass.

On 76 minutes, a low shot from Haughton produced a fine save from James Robinson as Town looked for an equaliser.

Soon after, Haughton, with a left-foot strike, once again forced the visiting 'keeper to make a smart save.

But that was as close as the home side got as they look for their first league win in two months.

Town: Tarr, Honor (Sumner 88 min), Elverson (Sills 64), Bristow, Wilkinson, Lisk, Keevill, Elad (Herbert 12), Eaton, Haughton, Hayfield.

Hitchin: Robinson, Bone, Grime, Allpress, Cretton, Scott, Williams, Bass, Marshall, Nolan (Simpson 89), Beevor. Not used: Sarll, Rydeheard.