IN PICTURES: Loxwood 3-1 Oakwood

All the Magpies’ goals came inside a blistering opening 20 minutes - from Lewis Scally, Tom Lyons and Matt Merridew - but after spurning further first half chances the hosts dropped their level, allowing Oakwood back into the game and their late consolation was just reward for battling right to the end.

Scally put the host up after only three minutes, firing into the net after good work from Matt Hoyte down the right.

Hoyte was denied by a fingertip save from stand-in Oaks keeper Tom Lake before Lyons slotted home neatly after the ball had broken to him in the box.

Loxwood’s third goal was all Oakwood’s in the making. A short goal kick was returned to keeper Lake, who could only find Merridew with his clearance, and the Loxwood midfielder lobbed the ball back into an empty net for a 3-0 lead after only 19 minutes.

Dave Cocoracchio’s men continued to carve their visitors open, Paul White denied a certain goal by a last-ditch challenge, Shaun Findlay firing across goal and Lyons into the side netting and then denied by the legs of Lake.

There were signs that Oakwood were getting back into the game in the final ten minutes of the first half, Loxwood keeper Sam Smith with a couple of fairly routine saves.

On an increasingly heavy pitch the second half failed to live up to the first. Loxwood’s best move saw Lyons release Findlay down the left, and his low cross was just stabbed wide by substitute Elliott Hawkes on the stretch.

And in a late push Oakwood scored a headed goal from a corner and generally finished the stronger side.

Loxwood have now won their last four matches in all competitions while second from bottom Oakwood have lost their last six games and have not won in ten.