Farnham Town 0, AFC Hayes 1AS anyone who follows the great game knows, football is predictably unpredictable – and no-one knows that better than Farnham Town boss Luke Turkington.

His in-form side were supposed to see off mid-table AFC Hayes on Saturday before heading to the Channel Islands full of confidence ahead of a mouthwatering top-two clash with the rampant and seemingly unstoppable Jersey Bulls.

But things don’t always go to plan and Town somehow contrived to slip to a shock odd-goal defeat at a rain-swept Memorial Ground after a defensive error and a catalogue of missed chances – not to mention the heroics of a makeshift Hayes goalkeeper after the visitors had been reduced to ten men early in the game.

Strikers Jack May and Charlie Oakley, who have been in such fine form all season, had a bit of an off day, Gavin Brainch, who was drafted in to play at centre half, misjudged a tricky high ball which allowed Nathan Dennis to score what turned out to be the winner, and substitute striker Yasha Najafi was in outstanding form having taken over in goal after Tom Clark had been given his marching orders for felling Pasha Tayo Walker after just 11 minutes.

Najafi was assured and looked as safe as houses in making a string of decent saves, not least when he tipped Town substitute Rowan Sharratt’s goalbound header over the bar five minutes from time as Farnham piled on the pressure in search of a desperate late equaliser.

“Being ten versus 11 for the majority of the match and then losing the game while being at home is probably the worst result you can imagine, but the performance wasn’t too bad, we just weren’t able to get that goal that we needed,” said Turkington, who was watching his form side fail to score in a league game for the first time this season.

“It was just one of those games where I could see it going one way, and it wasn’t going to be our way. I don’t think we would have scored in a month of Sundays. It’s a disappointing result that stalls us and just allows the other teams around us to gain on us.”

Tooting Bec were the biggest beneficiaries of Saturday’s surprise defeat as they beat Ash United 3-0 to leapfrog Farnham into second place in Division One of the Combined Counties League having played a game more.

“Hayes going down to ten men may have been our downfall because they were so much more resilient. They’ve camped out for a draw and gone one better, it’s probably the best result they have had all year,” said Turkington, whose side face bottom club Eversley & California next Tuesday night after the original game was washed out three weeks ago.

“I’m pretty sure it will balance itself out toward the end of the season where we probably won’t deserve anything one game and yet we will grab all three points. On Saturday, we played well enough to get three points, we just didn’t hit the target.

“Now that Hayes is done, everybody is obviously concentrating on Jersey. We are the underdogs, but we have nothing to fear. I’ve seen them play three times and we have a game plan and we will give everything we have got, and as long as the boys leave nothing out on the pitch, we’ll be happy. I think we have got enough to go and beat them.”

May could have had a hat-trick in the first half alone against Hayes, his best chance falling on 39 minutes after latching onto an exquisitely-timed through ball from Kye Nash, but the big front man seemed caught in two minds when one on one with the goalkeeper and dwelt before seeing his shot saved by Najafi.

Strike partner Charlie Oakley headed a decent chance wide, but Town seemed certain to grab an equaliser in stoppage time as Sowden released Oakley down the right and his dangerous low cross was just inches away from substitute Mark Corbett, who slid in at the back post.

And Hayes thought they had scored on the hour mark when Trey Pender-Brown played in Dennis, who lifted the ball calmly over the helpless Dease Kerrison in the Farnham goal but could only look on in disbelief as his shot struck the underside of the bar, bounced down and somehow stayed out.

Farnham Town: Kerrison, Meaton (Thomas 57), Smith, Sowden, Brainch, H Oakley, Nash (Sharratt 68), McDonald, C Oakley, Walker (Corbett 77), May. Subs (not used): Mitchell.