Harpenden suffered a first defeat of the East League Division Two South season as they lost 6-3 at Blueharts.
They were always chasing the game after conceding the first inside five minutes from a penalty corner.
The Hitchin-based host had made it 3-0 before the sides traded goals. Mark Hoefield, Todd Baines and Reece Baker-Kiff got the Harpenden goals but there was never enough time left to salvage anything from the game.
Goalkeeper Andy King said: "In all honesty, they could have had at least a couple more goals were it not for some sloppy finishing on their part.
"Equally we could've added to our goal-count ourselves as we hit the post twice through Ali Hutton and Harry Kneale and had a least two further near misses.
"But they were definitely the better side when all is said and done."
Harpenden now have back-to-back home games at Woollams against Felixstowe and then Brentwood.
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