Farnham Town, their confidence low after three straight league defeats, needed every bit of luck going when they entertained Wallingford, the unbeaten league leaders, on Tuesday night.

What they didn't need was to give the visitors a two-goal start, which is what happened.

By the end of the match, with fireworks exploding around a damp and misty Memorial Ground, Wallingford were toying with the home side, having scored five goals to take their league tally to 50 in 15 matches, having conceded just nine.

Dave Ward had hoped to keep things tight up to half-time, to at least give his depleted squad a chance. But the manager's plans were scuppered after 16 minutes when Vince Decicco, attempting to guide the ball back to Darren Bridger, instead beat his 'keeper with a perfectly placed looping header.

It was the start of a mixed comeback for Bridger, Farnham's former first-choice goalkeeper, who was rushed back to first-team duty following a long-term injury to Chris Edmonds.

Bridger did well to parry a ferocious shot from Derek Simpson, but on the half-hour he allowed a firm header from Andy Shildrick to slip through his hands and Wallingford effectively had the points in the bag.

Shildrick, the most feared striker in the Combined Counties League, was soon displaying his bag of tricks, aided and abetted by Shane Small-King, another gifted player.

It was the Bridger of old who advanced off his line to foil Small-King in a one-on-one.

But with two minutes of the half left, Shildrick and Small-King pulled the Farnham defence to pieces, working the ball from left to right and leaving Bridger helpless as Simpson slotted home at his leisure.

And so it continued in the second half. Farnham fought manfully to keep the score to reasonable proportions and Duncan Evans heroically denied the visitors what looked a certain goal by blocking Bradley Ward's on-target drive – an action that left him prostrate on the ground for some time.

The competitive Evans came close to scoring a fluke goal, but it was left to Kevin Annetts, who never stopped running, to force goalkeeper Paul Strudley into his first proper save.

Wallingford turned up the heat again and Ward, after being tripped by Nigel Moore, got up to score from the spot and make it 4-0 after 61 minutes.

The leaders brought up their half-century of goals in the 72nd minute when Ward's cross was rammed home by Small-King.

Annetts came close to scoring a consolation goal after being sent clear by Morgan. Strudley came out to half-save and Annetts' follow-up effort from a sharp angle was cleared off the line.

Farnham: Bridger, Brooks, D Evans, Moore (Ellis 77 mins), Decicco, Edwards, Annetts, Brown (Grimes 77 mins), C Evans, Morgan (Baker 77 mins), Williams.

Wallingford: Strudley, Hannigan (Primmer 61 mins), Champion, Campbell, Antonowicz, Green (Crittle 70 mins), Hancock, Small-King, Shildrick, Ward, Simpson. Sub (not used) Darill.

Farnham's difficult season continued with the sudden resignation of chairman Derek Wythe last weekend. Vice-chairman Nigel Harrington has taken over for a month while Farnham look for a successor.

Farnham are away to North Greenford this Saturday.