A second half goal by Matt Jones was enough to give Hungerford a deserved victory over Bracknell Town at Bulpit Lane in their last pre-season game before the new league season starts.

Ramone Rose struck a sweet shot that was palmed away by goalkeeper Mark Scott early on. Bracknell started to threaten and nearly took the lead when a Carl Davies header was cleared off the line. The deadlock should have been broken when a mistake by Matt Day let in Crusaders striker Harvey Bradbury to round the visiting goalkeeper only for an covering defender to stop a certain goal. Former Hungerford midfielder Scott Rees nearly put the Robins ahead after a neat move only for his shot to be smothered by Jokull Andresson before Bradbury’s shot went just wide as another opportunity went begging.

After the interval a chip from Rose had to be tipped over by Scott; however, the crusaders finally found their goal on 54 minutes when a nice flick by Bradbury played in defender Jones to calmly slot home. Bracknell’s best chance fell to Seb Bowerman whose low free kick forced a good save out of Andresson. Hungerford trialist’s then missed two good opportunities to put the game to bed. Jones’s free kick to the back stick found a trialist but he shot over the bar before Scott spilled a cross that couldn’t be converted on the rebound. The hosts held on for a confidence boosting win before they travel to St Albans in their first league game of the season next Saturday.

Report by Ciaran Morrison

Photo Credit: Phil Canning (Newbury Weekly News)