Disappointment for Church as they fall to a second 1-2 defeat of the season against a local rival, after failing to make the most of their attacking possession and openings.

Manager Tim Flowers was left reflecting that his side had not made the most of their possession, and ultimately fell foul of a couple of opportunistic chances taken by the visitors. It was a smash and grab by the visitors after Church had dominated the ball but made too little of this control to hurt the opposition.

In particular, Stratford's second goal game in a period of dominance when a long punted ball from the goalkeeper found indecision in the Church defensive third, and with the ball in no man's land behind the back for and in front of keeper Evans, the response came from the Stratford player as Lafferty brought the ball under control and stroked it past the stranded keeper from the edge of the box.

At 2-0 up it looked grim for Church,and despite pulling a goal back with a couple of minutes remaining, and the visitors being reduced to ten men, the home side were finding it a tough ask to break Stratford's defensive resolve.

Stratford had taken a 19th minute lead following pin-ball in the Church box, and as the ball fell to Landers on the edge of the box, he delivered a first time shot low into the bottom corner through a crowd of players.

Half chances for Church but nothing that was overly worrying for keeper Weaver, and Stratford held the slender advantage at the break.

Stratford's second goal on 58 minutes came somewhat against the balance of play, but it did spur Church into action, and a Sullivan effort was deflected agonisingly wide of the far post by a defender's head, and when Roney received a second yellow on 65 minutes there was a glimmer of hope, but Stratford hunkered down and Church suffered in the summer sunshine as their concerted efforts to breakthrough came to naught in the face of the inevitably massed defensive ranks.

On 81 minutes a daisy cutter from Sephton almost brought reward, but a slight deflection took it marginally off course and inches wide of the foot of the post. A strong handball penalty appeal from Church brought two yellow cards in the aftermath, but it was not until the 88th minute that Church finally profited from panic in the visiting defence with Bavanganga applying a decisive finish from close range as the ball pinged around the box to halve the deficit.

Too little too late though, and no further fruits in the seven minutes of stoppage time and the game petered out to a home defeat.