A penalty miss and squandered half chances came back to haunt St Ives as they fell just short during their 3-2 defeat to Hitchin Town.

St Ives found themselves behind in the contest from the opening attack of the match as Isaac Galliford outpaced Murphy Culkin to open the scoring after only eighty seconds.

St Ives spurned a few half-chances and were punished for their lack of cutting edge on 35 minutes when Diogo Freitas-Gouveia doubled the home side's lead.

The all-action Njoku won a penalty in the 64th minute, but Charlie Horlock denied the Cambridge United loanee as the keeper plunged low to his left to keep the rather tame effort out.

Njoku eventually atoned for his miss with 15 minutes to go, clipping the ball past the exposed Horlock to half the arrears.

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But the hosts restored their two-goal advantage ten minutes later with a clever free kick that caught out the entire Ives back line and keeper, who were set for a cross.

St Ives again reduced that lead within a minute to go as Baker battled to the bye line before driving in a low cross that was deflected by Ciaren Jones into his own net.

But the goal came too late for St Ives, who now sit 16th in the Southern Premier Division Central with a next league fixture v Leamington taking place this Saturday.