Truro City boss Lee Hodges was left to rue missed chances and poor defending as Blue Square Bet South's bottom side lost 2-1 at home to Chelmsford City on Saturday.
Player-manager Hodges, who sat out the match due to a one-game suspension, said: "The boys did well again in attack and credit to them for creating more chances than Chelmsford, especially in the first half. But again defensive lapses have cost us, which continues to be our downfall whenever we are matching or doing better than the teams we play.
"We got a goal back in the last minute, but we really deserved more. Chelmsford came here at the top end of the table, and we know they are a good side, but we more than matched them and yet we have nothing to show for it.
"The bottom line is we didn't deserve to lose – poor defending has cost us again."
Truro started well and made the most of a favourable wind against their high-flying Essex opponents.
Forwards Andy Watkins and Kieffer Moore again looked dangerous and gave Glenn Pennyfather's Clarets plenty to think about, while Ben Williams headed just over as the Cornish side went in search of an opening goal.
Moore forced a good save from Chelmsford goalkeeper Stuart Searle at the start of the second half and midfielder Joe Broad got his sights in with a shot that flew over.
However, it was the Clarets who struck first, opening the scoring in the 53rd minute as Aiden Palmer was allowed to cross from the left to give the unmarked James Slabber a simple far-post header for his 17th goal of the season.
Truro's disappointment doubled on 70 minutes when Kyle Vassell rounded home goalkeeper Luke McCormick to make it 2-0.
Truro – deducted ten points for entering administration and still under a transfer embargo – refused to give up and Watkins forced another save from Searle in the 75th minute. The visiting goalkeeper was finally beaten in the last minute when Broad notched his first goal of the season.
Hodges said: "Andy and Kieffer did well again. Watto's movement was good yet again and he deserved a goal for his efforts. When we went 2-0 down we changed it, went 4-3-3 and put Barry Hayles on. We still went for it and got our goal, it was just a shame it was not until the last minute."
The defeat left Truro 16 points behind second-from-bottom Sutton United with 18 games remaining. City's next league match is at third-placed Dover Athletic next Saturday.
