Harpenden Town kept the pressure on leaders Hatfield Town after a 3-1 home win over Buckingham Athletic in South Midlands Division One.

The hosts made it back-to-back wins to climb into second spot five points behind the league leaders.

The deadlock was broken after just two minutes when a Harpenden corner was whipped in by Nick Elliot towards the front post and Michael Davies was able to bundle the ball home in the six yard box.

Harpenden’s slender lead didn’t last long as just over ten minutes later Ty Deacon fired the ball into an empty net after Harpenden goalkeeper Sam Taylor lost control of the ball from a Pat Hooper cross.

Buckingham Atheltic continued to heap pressure on the home side’s defence and Deacon went close to scoring his second of the game with a back post volley but Sam Taylor was equal to it with a clawing left hand save.

Nick Elliot almost produced something special from a 30-yard free-kick but the visiting goalkeeper Ben Grasso kept his side level after 30 minutes.

Just as the sides were about to go into the dressing rooms at half-time a goal apiece, a freak goal in from Harpenden’s Harry Hunt gave the hosts a half time lead. The Town striker ran down the right-hand side and aimed his cross to the back post, only for it to fly into the net catching the Athletic keeper off guard.

Hunt and Tom Collin went close in the second half for Harpenden as they attempted to increase their one goal advantage.

In the end the home side did find that crucial third goal in the 82nd minute when substitute Ben Warren guided his header back across the keeper from a Hunt cross.