Kidsgrove suffered a fifth league defeat this season as Shaw Lane Aquaforce ran out 5-3 winners at the Novus Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Adam Priestley, Lee Bennett and Gavin Allott put the visitors 3-0 up in a stop-start first half.

Jordan Johnson’s spectacular solo goal after the break offered a glimmer of hope for Grove, but Oscar Radford’s strike and an own goal from the home side widened the gap between the two teams even further.

Anthony Malbon and Jack Sherratt both got on the scoresheet in the dying minutes as Grove mounted a late challenge, though the final score once again underlines the defensive problems within Peter Ward’s team.

Recent results have seen Grove recover well from losing positions, including a three-goal comeback at Leek Town, but today’s opponents ruthlessly exploited the home side’s weaknesses at the back, as Priestley’s strike inside just two minutes gave his team the initiative.

Buoyed by their early goal, Shaw Lane Aquaforce dominated much of the first 45 minutes with the hosts unable to gain a foothold in the game; a situation that was intensified when Bennett found space at the back post and gave goalkeeper Ben Chapman no chance from close range.

Sustained pressure from the visitors saw Grove concede a penalty moments before the interval, in which Allott sent Chapman the wrong way after his first attempt was ruled out by the referee.

Although the home team were facing a mountain to climb, the scoreline did little to deter them as Johnson cut inside on the hour mark and found the net with a ferocious shot that clipped the post on its way in.

Another comeback seemed inevitable, but the away side extended their lead soon after as a corner led to Radford receiving the ball and converting in clinical fashion, while an own goal moments later gave Shaw Lane Aquaforce a four-goal cushion.

As the clock ticked towards full time, Malbon managed to break clear and score with a low finish but his and Sherratt’s strike eventually proved to be in vain, with Kidsgrove falling short and seeking a first league win since September.