A late Jordan Gent goal wasn’t enough to stop Soham Town Rangers suffering their third consecutive Ryman League Division One North defeat on Saturday at the hands of Maldon & Tiptree.

Soham welcomed their Essex rivals to Julius Martin Lane looking to get out of their slump which had seen them lose four of their previous five league games, with the hosts giving a debut to former Wycombe Wanderers and St Neots man Ben Burton.

The home side began on top, with Ryan Sharman signalling his side’s intent with a fifth-minute drive that tested Shaun Phillips in the Tiptree goal.

Chances were few and far between in the first half, with the Greens having to make a substitution after former Manchester United man Luke Chadwick was forced off through injury.

The visitors finished the half strongly, and came within inches of taking the lead when Darren McQueen rounded Dion-Curtis Henry, but slammed his shot against the bar.

Soham made a better start to the second half as Salim Relizani volleyed a shot against the angle of the post ten minutes after the restart, before Miles Smith worked his way in from the by-line to have his shot forced wide for a corner, from which Sharman rose to head over.

Maldon then took the lead with their first chance of the half, when McQueen was allowed to make his way into the Greens’ area and fire low under Henry.

Rangers should have equalised three minutes later when Ross Paterson beat a challenge from Phillips to pull the ball back to the edge of the six-yard area for Sharman, but the midfielder could only blaze over the bar.

Peterborough United loanee Henry made another fine stop shortly after, before Callum Russell placed over from a Relizani centre.

The Jammers made sure of the three points four minutes from time, when Josh Townshend was adjudged to have pushed Maldon’s Rhys Henry in the box, with Kieran Monlouis converting the spot-kick.

Soham gave themselves a lifeline in the 90th minute after Jordan Gent’s goal-bound effort was deflected over the line, but it was too little, too late for Robbie Nightingale and Dave Theobald’s men.

The Greens will be looking return to form and avenge a defeat earlier in the season against Witham Town this Saturday.

Soham were defeated 2-1 by the side in 20th, and will be hoping for a first win since March 19 when they travel to the the Village Glass Stadium.