Molesey crashed to their fourth consecutive defeat with a disappointing 2-1 loss at East Grinstead Town.

In a first half littered with individual errors, Yacine Gnahore opened the scoring inside ten minutes when he capitalised on Ross Chalke’s underhit backpass, and the hosts missed a number of chances to add a second.

The Moles were much improved in the second half, but substitute Melford Simpson’s breakaway goal doubled their lead.

James McShane’s penalty in the 86th minute was too little too late.

The Moles were sloppy from the first whistle, conceding possession in the opening seconds from which both Gnahore and Terrell Miller nearly worked an opening.

James McShane’s defence splitting pass created the first real chance of the game for Reis Stanislaus, but he dragged his effort wastefully wide.

Possession had already been squandered in dangerous positions on several occasions when the usually dependable Chalke didn’t put enough on a backpass, and Gnahore nipped in to take the ball round Liam Allen and open the scoring.

Danny Leonard hit the foot of the post shortly afterwards, whilst Allen saved from Connor Hendricks and Miller.

Molesey came into the game towards the end of the half, and after James Cottee had missed an opening, Ollie Robinson saw a decent effort saved following Craig Lewington’s neat lay off.

The second half was an exercise in attack against defence, as wave after wave of Molesey attacks went unrewarded.

The best chance came when McShane’s pull back found Stanislaus in the six yard box, but he spooned his effort into the grateful arms of Nic Taylor.

Tom Windsor shot over when well placed, whilst Rob Sheridan clipped the top of the bar from the edge of the box.

The Wasps had hardly set foot in the Molesey half since the re-start, with centre halves Robinson and Sheridan both venturing forward regularly.

But the Moles were caught by a sucker punch when Robinson and Ashby Charles got in each other’s way when dealing with a routine through ball.

Simpson capitalised, lifting the ball over Allen towards goal. Charles made goal-line clearance of the season, acrobatically clearing off the line via the crossbar, but the ball went straight back to Simpson, whose scuffed effort found the bottom corner.

The Moles went gung-ho in the closing stages, and halved the deficit when Sheridan was sent sprawling in the box and McShane sent Taylor the wrong way from the spot.

Chances continued to be created well into stoppage time, with Dre Grobler and Stanislaus failing to find the target, but the Moles finished empty handed.

A point apiece would have been a fairer reflection of the game, but the Moles can’t continue to concede such soft goals and expect to pick up points.

They’ll hope to put their mini slump behind them at home to Sittingbourne on Saturday.