Knaphill slipped to a narrow 3-2 defeat at home Combined Counties Premier Division South leaders Cobham.

Jack Carrod and Ross Murdoch were on target for the Knappers, but goals from Dean Rule (2) and Ryan Marklew gave the visitors all three points in front of a crowd of 210 at Redding Way.

The hosts created the first chance of the game in the fourth minute when Carrod fired his shot over the bar at the back post.

The Knappers took the lead a minute later when Carrod got the ball with his back to goal and turned sharply in the box and hit a low shot past Cobham keeper Harry Cawdron.

The visitors equalised on ten minutes when Rule produced an excellent finish at the back post to fire the ball into the roof of the net.

Knaphill manager Mike Woolgar was forced into an early change in the 20th minute, with Olly Woolgar replacing Joe Throp.

Mike Woolgar was forced into another change eight minutes later, with Jack Lewis replacing Tom Wensley.

The Knappers nearly regained the lead on 33 minutes when Thomas Harland-Goddard got clear down the left-hand side and cut the ball back to Ross Cheek, who hit his effort just wide of the near post.

Cobham had an excellent chance a minute later when Derick Hayford was through one-on-one with Knaphill keeper Harvey Keogh, but Keogh was off his line quickly to close the angle and block Hayford’s shot behind for a corner.

The visitors took the lead from the resulting corner when Marklew powered home an emphatic header at the near post.

Cobham went 3-1 up in the 45th minute when Rule produced a controlled right-foot finish at the back post.

The Knappers had to make a third enforced substitution in the 56th minute, when Ben Mitchell replaced Sekou Toure.

The visitors nearly scored a fourth on the hour mark when Marklew’s flick goalwards was well held by Keogh.

Knaphill almost pulled a goal back on 64 minutes when Murdoch controlled the ball and hit a low shot goalwards which was well held by Cawdron.

Marklew had a good chance for Cobham three minutes later when he was through on goal, but he put his right-foot finish just wide of the far post.

Cobham created another chance in the 70th minute, but Angelo Theophilou hit his shot straight at Keogh, who held the ball at the second attempt.

Hayford nearly scored a spectacular goal for the visitors a minute later when his thunderous right-foot volley from the edge of the box whistled just over the bar.

Mike Woolgar then made his fourth substitution of the afternoon, with Rami Halloufi replacing Harland-Goddard.

The Knappers pulled a goal back on 73 minutes when Murdoch scored with a clever finish at the near post from a corner to make it 3-2.

The visitors were reduced to ten men in the 87th minute when Charles Alexiou received a straight red card for a late challenge just outside the box.

Louis Collins fired the resulting free kick towards the left-hand corner of the net, but Cawdron made an excellent diving save to tip the ball behind for a corner.

Knaphill pushed hard for an equalising goal late on, but the visitors held on for all three points.

Next up for Knaphill is a trip to Badshot Lea in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Tuesday, January 27 (7.45pm kick-off).