BRACKNELL Town slipped to their first defeat since Mark Tallentire took over as manager when going down 4-3 in a thriller at Barking on Saturday.

The Robins, level at 1-1 going into half-time, shipped three goals in quick succession midway through the second half before reducing their deficit with two late goals.

They had earlier made a bright start to a game watched by a crowd of just 82, with Nathan Minhas and shooting wide from a narrow angle and Dan Carr just inches away from getting a foot to a Seb Bowerman cross.

So it was against the run of play when Barking took a 12th-minute lead through Michael Dixon and it needed a last-ditch challenge from skipper Carl Davies to deny the hosts a second goal.

Town deservedly drew level five minutes before half-time when Max Herbert delivered an accurate low cross into the area for Minhas to turn home.

And they nearly went ahead on 65 minutes with Bowerman bending a shot against the outside of the post.

However, Bracknell were then left reeling as their usually-reliable defence were prised open three times in the space of eight minutes.

Johnny Ashman restored Barking's lead in the 67th minute with a long-range shot which took a big deflection on its way into the net.

Ashman also added the third goal, beating keeper Sonny Wheeler with a low drive, and two minutes later, in the 75th, substitute Nana Boakye-Yiadom made it 4-1 with a tap-in from close range.

But, to their credit, the visitors refused to lie down and scored twice to leave Barking hanging on at the end.

Minhas headed home his side's second in the 83rd minute and four minutes later he set up the third goal for Bowerman.

Their fourth defeat in 13 games leaves Town eighth in the table ahead of this coming Saturday's home match with Ware, who were second, four points behind leaders Hanwell, prior to last night's trip to Marlow.