Chelmsford City 1
Hemel Hempstead Town 2
Chelmsford City's unbeaten start to the season came to an end as Hemel Hempstead Town came from behind to beat the Clarets amid some late penalty drama at the Melbourne Stadium.
Charlie Ruff gave the hosts the lead ten minutes after the break following good work out wide by former Hemel midfielder Samir Carruthers.
The Tudors would peg them back as the game entered its final quarter with Joe Iaciofano converting from the spot after he had been tripped by Ben Brookes.
Then five minutes into injury time Iaciofano would again convert from the spot after Kyle Ajayi had been brought down in the box.
Chelmsford made five changes from their side that drew with Yeovil Town at the weekend. Former Southend United midfielder Anthony Wordsworth dropped to the bench as well as Brookes, Callum Jones, Jazzi Barnum-Bobb and Jermaine Francis; with Frankie Terry, Mo Dabre, Callum Watts, Mo Bettamer and Freddie Hockey taking their places.
As for Hemel they made two changes with a pair of former Clarets, Chris Smith and Reece Grant, making way for Josh Hill and Finlay Corrigan.
Kick Off
It was a quiet opening period in North Essex with few chances either way. However after 26 minutes some careless Hemel defending almost led to a Chelmsford goal.
An overweighted back pass from Ajayi saw the ball lobbed over his own goalkeeper, Craig King, who had to desperately scramble back to his goal line and retrieve the ball with his hands. This resulted in Chelmsford being awarded an indirect free kick and King being given a yellow card, and in the melee that followed the visitors' Joe Re was also booked.
The resulting Clarets free kick was tapped off by Carruthers to Bettamer, however King was quick off his line to block the Libyan international's fierce drive.
Half Time: Chelmsford City 0-0 Hemel Hempstead Town
The second half also started slowly, however after 54 minutes the game sprung to life.
Carruthers caught Re napping and picked his pocket to win possession for Chelmsford in a dangerous area. The former Republic of Ireland Under 21 international then drove into the box from the left hand side and squared the ball across to Ruff who drilled home - continuing the Clarets record of scoring in every game thus far this term.
This was the second time that Ruff has scored against Hemel in Chelmsford colours following his strike in the Clarets' 2-1 win over the Tudors last October.
The visitors would threaten a response with Brad Quinton's men seeing a looping header from Iaciofano, that had Joshua Oluwayemi scrambling, drop onto the roof of the net.
Three minutes after this Hemel again went close with Arjanit Krasniqi being denied of a goal against his former club. A visiting free kick was scrambled through to Krasniqi whose scuffed attempt from six yards out was blocked by Oluwayemi.
The Tudors wouldn't be kept at bay for long and two minutes after this opportunity they were awarded a penalty.
Luton Town loanee Tyrelle Newton slid Iaciofano in behind who was tripped by Brookes, leaving referee Dean Skipper with no choice but to point to the spot.
The man who won the penalty took it with Iaciofano brushing himself down and sending Oluwayemi the wrong way from the spot for his second goal for Hemel since joining in the summer from Oxford City.
It looked as though the game was heading towards a share of the spoils but then three minutes into injury time Robbie Simpson's side conceded yet another penalty.
A long Josh Williams throw saw the ball break for Hill. His drilled strike was blocked on the line and in the scramble that followed Ajayi was left in a heap on the floor with Skipper again pointing to the spot.
Two minutes passed between the penalty being awarded and it being taken, but this didn't faze Iaciofano who again stepped up and sent Oluwayemi the wrong way again to convert - sending the travelling fans into raptures.
Chelmsford would search desperately for an equaliser, with Luke Jenkins heading over a golden opportunity from a Brookes corner, but they couldn't break Hemel down and the Tudors saw the game out to end their four game winless run.
Full Time: Chelmsford City 1-2 Hemel Hempstead Town
Defeat for the first time this season for Chelmsford sees them remain fourth in the table. Although they could slip down to seventh by the end of this evening dependant on results elsewhere in the National League South tonight. To add further salt to the wounds for the Clarets; following the conclusion of the game goalkeeper Oluwayemi was given a red card following an altercation between the Portsmouth loanee and the referee.
A first win in three games against Chelmsford for Hemel sees the Tudors shoot up into the playoffs. Hemel are also now four games unbeaten having drawn three straight games prior to Tuesday's win.
Both sides are on the road this weekend with Chelmsford making the long trip down to Torquay United whilst Hemel head to the South Coast to take on Worthing.
Chelmsford City: Oluwayemi, Winfield, Ebuzoeme, Dabre, Bettamer (Jones 60'), Carruthers (Brookes 63'), Jenkins, Ruff, Terry (Castiglione 72'), Hockey, Watts
Subs not used: Wordsworth, Mills
Hemel Hempstead Town: King, J. Williams, Ajayi, Hill, G. Williams (McKenzie 89'), Iaciafano, Re (Sayoud 85'), Corrigan (Matthews 60'), Newton, Judd, Krasniqi
Subs not used: Taylor, Gonzalez
Goals
Clarets: Ruff 54'
Tudors: Iaciofano (p) 77', (p) 90+5'
Yellow Cards
Clarets: Carruthers 43', Winfield 75', Brookes 90+2', Castiglione 90+4', Oluwayemi 90+5'
Tudors: King 26', Re 26', Hill 33'
Red Cards
Clarets: Oluwayemi FT'
Tudors: None
ATT: 915
By Nathan Williams
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