Hungerford travelled to play Bath City as they looked to catapult themselves into a Vanarama National League South playoff spot against a Bath City side that sit mid-table. A slow start in this one from both sides saw very few clear cut chances in the first half.
The first real chance in this game came 18 minutes in when an inswinging corner from Matt Jones was flicked onto the post by George Smith, Hungerford’s best chance of the half.
Bath themselves struck the woodwork from a corner when Cody Cook headed against the bar, one which the Hungerford keeper Luke Cairney looked to have covered. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Hungerford should have had the lead with Sol Wanjau-Smith was bearing down on goal only to lose his footing while taking the strike allowing the Bath keeper to collect comfortably.
Hungerford started the second half brightly and when Ryan Seager was tripped just inside the box, they had a golden chance to take the lead. The contact on Seager looked minimal as he cut inside the Bath defender however the linesman on the near side waved his flag furiously causing the referee to point to the spot. Seager won it and took it however, his penalty was saved as the keeper guessed correctly and got down to his left-hand side to palm the ball away.
Bath looked to punish Hungerford with a glorious chance to take the lead when Joe Raynes was rolled through on goal but he put his shot straight at Cairney who saved well with his feet.
With just four minutes left Hungerford hoisted a long throw into the area where an attempted clearance fell to Jake Evans on the edge who side-footed a lovely effort into the top left corner for the winner.
Despite the Bath pressure, this was not the first time Evans has produced a moment of magic for Hungerford Town this season. The win has Hungerford in 8th level on points with St Albans and occupying the last playoff spot.
Listen to Hungerford Town coach Keith Pennicott-Bowen on the Berkshire Football Stories podcast below or get it here:
Maidenhead United suffer another heavy defeat and Slough Town draw in a game with both teams seeing red
Maidenhead United suffered another heavy defeat, this time at the hands of Solihull Moors and look set to be in a relegation fight come the end of the season. Solihull opened the scoring seven minutes in from a corner that eventually landed at the feet of Joe Sbarra who finished from close range.
Solihull doubled their lead just before half time when Harry Boyes broke into the box and showed the composure to finish low into the bottom left-hand corner with a right-footed finish. However, Solihull weren’t satisfied with a two-goal lead going into half time as a long-range effort from Jamey Osbourne was dispatched into the bottom left corner once again deep into first-half stoppage time.
Solihull made sure of the points when Justin Donawa tapped in from close range after a shot was parried by the keeper into the path of Donawa to make it four.
Slough Town came away with a point away to Hemel Hempstead in a game where both sides saw red. Slough opened the scoring 17 minutes in when Alfonso Tenconi crossed for George Hunt who scored after the ball was deflected off a Hemel defender.
Hemel answered back 25 minutes in when their captain Mantom hit a wonderful strike from 25 yards out into the top corner. With scores level going into the break Slough were back in front after the break when Tenconi finished into an empty net after a short back pass from Hemel.
The first card of the game came for Slough when goalkeeper Jonathan North handled the ball outside the box. Slough had no substitute keeper in the matchday squad so Matthew Lench took the gloves for the rest of the game.
With just 5 minutes left and after Lench had made a wonderful save Hemel equalised through Cole Kpekawa who got the all-important touch after a mess inside the Slough box.
There was still another red to come in this one when Carruthers saw red after a foul on Aaron Kuhl. Each side came away with a point with both sitting respectfully in mid-table with slough in 13th and Hemel Hempstead in 15th.
