Wanderers were defeated 2-0 away at Cardiff City in Sky Bet League One on Saturday lunchtime.
Following a goalless first-half at the Cardiff City Stadium, Omari Kellyman and Chris Willock scored for the hosts which proved decisive in the Welsh capital.
Goalkeeper Jack Bonham was called into action within the opening minutes when he thwarted Kellyman’s low strike from the left-side of the box after Willock’s pass set the forward free.
Minutes later, Bonham made another important save, tipping over Callum Robinson's right-footed effort which was curling towards the top-right corner.
On 20 minutes, Steven Schumacher’s men survived a scare as Perry Ng's cross into the six-yard box was met by Alex Robertson who turned his effort onto the crossbar under pressure.
Cardiff continued to threaten when Kellyman headed captain Rubin Colwill’s corner narrowly wide before Robertson’s cross was deflected into the side-netting.
Wanderers pushed forward late in the half, with Max Conway beating his man to deliver a low cross into the box, which was cleared.
In first-half stoppage time, a well-worked Wanderers attack set Mason Burstow free on the right, who crossed towards the back post, with Ng heading away the danger, which proved to be the final action of the half.
Brian Barry-Murphy’s Bluebirds led four minutes into the second-half when Kellyman steered Joel Bagan’s corner from the right into Bonham’s bottom left-corner.
Wanderers were two behind two minutes later. Ng won back possession in a defensive position before finding Robertson, who drove up field to move the ball out to the left to Willock, who cut inside and arrowed his right-footed shot across goal which found the back of Bonham’s net after hitting the bottom left-post.
Schumacher made a triple chance on the hour, with Thierry Gale, Cyrus Christie and Kyle Dempsey replaced by Rob Apter, Ruben Rodrigues and Amario Cozier-Duberry.
Cozier-Duberry was involved in Wanderers’ two opportunities in quick succession. Firstly, he teed up Burstow to shoot straight at Nathan Trott with the outside of his boot, which was held by the Cardiff goalkeeper, prior to crossing for Sam Dalby who flicked a header off the upright.
Bonham was then well-placed to keep George Tanner’s fierce effort out with an excellent fingertip stop.
With less than 20 minutes to play, George Johnston’s downward header from Apter’s enticing free-kick from the left was off target, as Wanderers aimed to half the deficit.
Josh Sheehan would later send a dipping drive from the edge of the box just wide of Trott’s right-post.
It was a proud moment for forward Tobias Ritchie, who made his league debut for the Whites as an 82nd minute substitute in place of Burstow.
In added time, Conway bravely threw himself in the way of Ryan Wintle’s attempt, which prevented a Cardiff third, as Wanderers lost out in South Wales.
Next up for Wanderers is a home fixture against Stevenage at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Tuesday night, 7:45pm kick-off. Purchase your tickets by clicking here.
Wanderers: Bonham, Osei-Tutu, Christie (Cozier-Duberry 60), Toal (c), Conway, Johnston, Sheehan, Dempsey (Rodrigues 60), Gale (Apter 60), Burstow (Ritchie, 82) Dalby
Subs not used: Harrington, Forino, Lawrence