Trafford’s inconsistent and frustrating home form continued on Saturday when they were defeated 2-1 by Hednesford Town in awful conditions at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium.
Despite the presence of Storm Bert, a healthy attendance of 328 saw the visitors dominate the early stages and take a deserved lead in the 15th minute when Jack Bearne whipped a low cross to the near post that Jake Jervis expertly guided past Sam Booth.
Gradually Trafford grew into the game and in the 32nd minute a slick move ended with Matty Morgan firing across the face of the Town goal.
Three minutes later Rio Clegg was desperately unlucky when he crashed a shot against the Town crossbar following great work on the left by Damola Sotona and then Brad Byrne went close with a snapshot that keeper Jack Rose pushed past the upright.
Sam Booth denied Jervis with a fine reflex save as half-time approached and Elliott Johnson fired just wide as Town finished the first half in control.
Trafford gave the ball away far too easily in the opening stages of the second half and Dominic McHale fizzed a shot across the face of the home goal as Town sought a second goal.
Bearne just failed to connect with a cross to the back post whilst at the other end a Matty Morgan cross was headed just wide by Rio Clegg.
In the 73rd minute Trafford found themselves back on level terms with a magnificent goal, Matty Morgan collecting the ball out on the right and cutting inside to unleash a beautiful curling drive from 25 yards that flew inside the far post.
Three minutes later Karl Marginson’s side should have taken the lead when Ryley Smith pulled the ball back to Hilal Khan who shot wide from just 15 yards.
In the 80th minute, disaster struck for the hosts when Morgan gave the ball away, danger-man Jack Bearne broke down the right and crossed to the back post where Daniel Trickett-Smith arrived to plant his header past Sam Booth.
Trafford pushed forward in search of a second equaliser but all they had to show for their efforts was a high ball into the Town penalty area by skipper Harry Norris that Rio Clegg headed wide.
This was Trafford’s fifth defeat in their last six home games, in contrast to just two defeats from nine away games, and is an issue that manager Marginson will be desperate to address, particularly as they have a run of three games at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium on consecutive Saturdays in December.
And despite Saturday’s setback they are still handily placed in sixth position in the NPL West Division, just one point outside the play-off places.