FECKENHAM were left with plenty of frustration after seeing their long unbeaten run ended in a topsy-turvy 4-2 defeat at FC Stratford on Tuesday.
The Millers, who drew 0-0 at home to champions Northfield Town on Saturday, had not lost in 11 matches in all competitions (one penalty shoot-out aside) prior to the midweek encounter.
However, despite equalising from 2-0 down, the Millers were undone and will be aiming to bounce back at the first attempt when they host fellow promotion-chasers Knowle at the Entaco on Saturday (2pm).
Feckenham remain third in Midland League Division Two – four points behind second-placed Knowle with two games in hand – and 11 behind leaders Solihull United with three in hand.
Against FC Stratford, the visitors conceded twice before they had really got going – one a really soft header from Sacha Everard who made been left unmarked at a free kick and the other a penalty from Ash Wilkes after keeper Ryan Young was controversially deemed to have upended Jamie Gifford.
Feckenham, driven on by combative midfielder Umit Eminoglu who has rejected a move to Midland League Premier outfit Racing Club Warwick, hit back and reduced their arrears after the break through Eminoglu’s vicious free kick before levelling when Billy Garvey pounced to net from Danny Murphy’s flick.
However, after the visitors had spurned countless chances to take the lead, it was the hosts who struck next when Gifford netted from close range after the ball had fallen fortuitously into his path before the scoring was completed when the unlucky Ben Welsh deflected a shot into his own net.
Garvey was often neat for Feckenham and Jack Cole ran the left-flank willingly but, despite the influence of Eminoglu, Connor Perry-Holmes, Ben Cox and Jake Donnelly, in truth the Millers lacked accuracy in their shooting and had only themselves to blame for the defeat.
