An injury time winner for St. Neots piled on the misery for Tahj Bell and his Hitchin Town FC teammates as they suffered a 4-3 defeat at Top Field.
Hitchin started brightly, with Robbie Burns having an early shot which required St. Neots goalkeeper Jamie Greygoose to make a save.
St. Neots, however, took an early lead in the fourth minute via Nathan Frater. The St. Neots number nine needed little encouragement to go for goal, taking one touch to neatly control the ball and then firing over the head of Bell with his second.
The early goal did little to deter Hitchin and they continued to press their opponents. Jonny McNamara looked lively in midfield as he looked to create something for his teammates - a nice ball through to Burns looking promising before the flag was raised for offside and then providing a cross which was just over the head of Brett Donnelly.
Hitchin's hard work did eventually pay off in the 20th minute when Brett Donnelly grabbed an equalizer for the home side. It was Lewis Rolfe who spotted the Canary forward in space upfield and promptly lofted the ball straight up to him. Brett kept his cool, waited for the ball to sit up and then fired the ball past Greygoose.
Seconds after the restart, Callum Donnelly forced the keeper to make a save after his effort from outside the box was full of power and on-target.
Hitchin then had another opportunity moments later when unconvincing keeping from the away side gave then some breathing space in the box. It was Sam Barker who found himself on the end of a cross but his header was wide of the target.
Poor set-play defending from Hitchin then gifted the visitors with the lead once more - Ollie Thorne beat Bell to the ball and heading in to the back of the net in the 30th minute.
The lead, however, lasted just two minutes thanks to great feet from McNamara, who skipped his way in to the box before slipping the ball across to Lench who slotted home for the equalizer.
Hitchin's David Corran then provided them with another opportunity - the defender continuing to support an attack upfield and then putting an excellent cross in to the box. An unmarked Lench made a great run in to the area to meet the ball but his shot was wide.
It was then Lewis Rolfe's turn to venture upfield from defense as he chased down the ball from a poor Burns pass. It was an impressive feat for the Hitchin defender to even reach the ball but Rolfe went one better as he crossed in to Brett Donnelly, who got a head to the ball but was unbalanced, consequently forcing his header off-target.
Lench had a shot palmed away by Greygoose before Hitchin Captain Alasan Ann gave the home side the lead for the first time - slotting the ball in to the back of the net in the 41st minute.
St. Neots started the second-half the brighter side, restricting Hitchin's possession and desire to attack.
An injury to Arthur Lee (St. Neots) after a challenge by Lench halted the game for some time, with Lee eventually being stretchered off of the field.
Bell then did well to deny Max York - the Hitchen keeper getting down quickly denying York the equalizer.
After constant pressure from the away side, Drew Roberts eventually netted the equalizer in the 85th minute.
It was then a case of Hitchin heartbreak as the visitors took the lead once more in the 92nd minute. It was substitute Matt Nolan who put the ball in to the back of the net.
Hitchin were then predictably desperate for an equalizer but St. Neots were resilient in defense and consequently picked up all three points in what was an entertaining and hard-fought contest at Top Field.
