Simon Tattersall was left to rue his side’s mistakes on Saturday, as a penalty with just 30 seconds remaining condemned Beaconsfield to a narrow defeat against Milton Keynes.

The late strike left no time on the clock and proved to be the killer blow in a 20-17 defeat for Beaconsfield which leaves them eighth in the Southern Counties North table.

Tattersall’s team had been looking to build on a win against Marlow a week previously, but the coach said errors had cost his side any chance of victory.

“When we played to our structures we looked quite impressive, and when we put pressure on them we looked like we would get the win. When we got away from our structures then we looked poor. Our mistakes gradually pulled them back into the game.

“We made too many mistakes and managed the game poorly which allowed them back into it. They were fighting for survival and perhaps they wanted it slightly more than us in the end.”

Number eight Callum Wilkinson scored one of three tries that the visitors managed in a losing effort, with only one of those being converted.

Beaconsfield had also led 7-5 at half-time, leaving Tattersall to bemoan his side’s inconsistency – not just during Saturday’s loss, but over the campaign as a whole.

“It pretty much shows where we are in terms of our season. We’re great one week, poor the next and certainly away from home we’ve struggled this year. At home we’ve been pretty good in all the games, but away we have struggled.

“If we play to our potential we’re a good side, not a promotion winning side but a good side. Far too often we don’t reach our potential, particularly away from home, and we get penalised for it.”

Beaconsfield return to home turf on Saturday when they host fourth place Royal Wootton Bassett, a game which Tattersall believes will demand an improved defensive showing from his team.

“From what we know, they’ve got a pacy backline and they’ll try and run the ball from all over the place, so that should be an entertaining spectacle to watch. Certainly this week we’ll have to look at our defensive structure to make sure we can counteract that side of their game.”