A QUIET and dull affair saw the Poppies lose 1-0 to AFC Stoneham, through a penalty converted by Jake Thompson.

The first big chance went the Poppies way in the 5th minute as the ball flicked on from Connor Le Clercq corner was hit on a half volley by James Stocker who couldn’t direct the shot.

Disaster took hold early in the game as in the 11th minute after Owen Fee won a controversial penalty after Craig Stanley took him down in the box.

Despite this, Jake Thompson stepped up and buried it in the bottom left corner, Heath Bartram diving the right way but not getting a hand behind it.

In the 32nd minute, Joe Wearden won a 50/50 with Fee and let off a first-time strike from 30 yards out, that came close to being tucked in the bottom left corner.

The match had a quiet end to see out halftime, Stoneham still lead the game from the early penalty.

The game then went silent, with neither team challenging the other and both teams looking more comfortable sitting back, no chances fell either way until the 69th minute, after Duarte Martins was slipped through and took a shot just wide of Bartram’s far post.

Another chance fell minutes later, with a scramble in the box resulting in a shot from Matt Bainbridge which Hamza Tallal blocked off the line.

In the 77th Stoneham had another attack, Lewis Nagle got past Tallal on the wing and drilled a low ball into Martins who didn’t reach the end of it.

89th minute saw the Poppies come to life to try get something out of a quiet Saturday night, the ball landed at Tyrone Carkeet’s feet, his ambitious effort flew over the bar.

Stanley came close in the 93rd, after the ball fell to him nicely on the edge of the box, almost placing the ball in the top left corner but the shot was just wide for the last gasp equaliser and Stoneham were able to see out the win.