A man of the match performance from Histon Keeper Lance Key failed to keep the Stutes top of the Nationwide South, despite taking the lead on 32 minutes when defender Matthew Mitchel-King scored with a low side footed shot from just inside the area.

It could have been so different if early chances had been taken, defender Matty Haniver rattled the up-right from close range, striker Danny Bloomfield went one on one with Hawks keeper Shane Gore, but the keeper did enough to out wit Bloomfield as the ball bounced pass the goal, the breaks from Histon came against the run of play with the home side forcing the tempo and winning tackles in important areas of the pitch.

With Histon taking the lead Hawks Brett Poate had the ideal chance to pull his side level, having wiggled free of Mitchel-King inside the area it only left Key to beat but somehow Poate miskicked his effort wide of goal as half time approached the Histon goal was living a charmed life, as the ball bounced around the area it fell kindly to Jamie Collins but he blasted his effort high over the bar, just after the re-start Histon had to reshuffle upfront, with Ian Cambridge being forced off due to injury, on came Nathanial Knight-Percival, which forced Jamie Barker into a more central role, soon after Histon had Key to thank once more as he got down well to hand on to a header.

With the home side pushing and having the majority of procession it was only a matter of time for the goal to come, but they was also wasting chances, as Richard Paquette headed over, unchallenged, Histon made another change with Bloomfield being replaced by Neil Kennedy, on 67 minutes the goal came, a free kick was worked out to the right, a deep cross was dealt with badly by the Histon defence, unmarked was Poate who, this time made no mistake from close range.

Histon tried to tighten up the midfield as Adie Cambridge was replaced with Robbie Nightingale, but again too many final passes found a white shirt, replacement Tony Taggart had a golden chance to put the home side in front, once more the defence opened up giving Taggart the chance but he shot wide of the goal, with time running out the winner came, as rasping drive was only parried out, first to react was Rocky Baptiste who made no mistake with the rebound, as Histon pushed to level the back four was exposed, former Premiership player Dean Holdsworth had two good chances to extend the lead but his shoots failed to test the inform Key.

Havant & Waterlooville Gore, M Warner, Gregory, P Warner, Byles, Sharp, Harkin (Taggart), Collins (Simpson), Paquette (Holdsworth), Baptiste, Poate

Subs Not Used Jordan, Howells

Histon Key, Haniver, Okay, Mitchel-King, Langston, A Cambridge (Nightingale 69), J Kennedy, Murray, Bloomfield (N Kennedy 60), I Cambridge (Knight-Percival 54), Barker

Subs Not Used Jackman, Roberts

Goals: Havant & Waterlooville: Poate (67), Baptiste (81)    Histon: Mitchel-King (32)

Attendance: 553