CHELMSFORD City's run of away defeats stretched to four as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Maidenhead United on Saturday.
The Clarets were made to pay for missing a host of chances as the home team recorded their first win in the Conference South since Boxing Day.
Clarets boss Mark Hawkes made two changes to the side that lost the Essex derby at Concord Rangers on Tuesday, with Jaanai Gordon returning to start in place of Leon Redwood and Harry Hickford replacing the suspended Mark Haines.
City almost made the perfect start when on-loan Southend United midfielder, Jack Bridge struck a first time shot from the edge of the area which was well tipped over by home keeper Ashley Timms.
However, much like at Concord, after having the early play City went behind to another moment new keeper Tom Lovelock will want to forget.
The shot-stopper, who was credited with an own goal on Tuesday night, saw a speculative shot from Eddie Hutchinson nip up off the pitch and bounce off his chest falling perfectly into the path of Tashan Adeyinka to stroke home the opener after just 10 minutes.
City hit back as Joe Ward beat his man before seeing his effort blocked by Leon Solomon, he then lifted his next attempt over the crossbar after receiving a low ball from Gordon.
Soon after Michael Cheek should have done better after Gordon was played in. The latter was sandwiched between two defenders and the ball squirmed out into the path of Cheek who could only hit it straight at Timms for a comfortable save.
As half-time approached Lee Sawyer had the best chance for City to equalise when his charge through the middle was picked out by Bridge, but the midfielder couldn't beat Timms one-on-one.
The second half was more of the same from the visitors who were getting into dangerous area on numerous occasions getting into dangerous areas, but couldn't get a shot away or found their effort blocked.
Ward was guilty of not pulling the trigger early enough after he wormed his way into the area early in the second period, and Bridge's superb low cross seconds later was unfortunate not to find someone to tap home.
Cheek flashed a shot harmlessly wide after reacting quickest to a blocked shot by substitute, Sam Gregory and the latter then saw an even better opportunity on goal once blocked moments later, with Soloman proving a difficult man to pass.
Despite the pressure, it wasn't until over halfway through the second period before Timms was tested again and having thwarted Bridge early in the first half, he did it again, this time parrying another first time effort.
But having missed chance after chance, there was almost an inevitability about Maidenhead's second coming with just over quarter of an hour left when Dave Tarpey doubled the home side's lead.
Having been at fault for the first goal, there was little Lovelock could do about this one saving Danny Green's initial effort with his feet, only to see Tarpey come in and beat Rob Girdlestone to head into the unguarded net.
City failed to stage any sort of a comeback as the sucker-punch of the second goal had knocked the wind out of their sails of the visitors.
Chelmsford City: Lovelock, Girdlestone (Rohdell Gordon 78), Hickford, Mambo, Toner, Ward, Hughes, Sawyer, Bridge, Cheek, Jaanai Gordon (Gregory 58). Unusd subs: Redwood, Morgan, Maher.