Crusaders exit Cup at Torquay

It was an occasion to remember but a game to forget for Hungerford at Plainmoor on Saturday. A venue that has previously harbored good results for the Crusaders

Elis Watts was an absentee through injury and his creativity proved to be a vital loss in a team that seemed to lack forward momentum from the start. That being said the visitors held off the full time home side for the first twenty minutes with relative ease, and indeed forced a couple of corners that came to nothing.

On 20 minutes United opened the scoring through Jack Stobbs after a break down the right which had more than a hint of offisde. Hungerford almost replied immediately when Sean Moore beat two defenders down the left but could only shoot well over the bar.

After 34 minutes a ball across the Hungerford box from Stobbs hit Rhys Tyler’s hand and the referee awarded the spot kick almost before the ball hit the floor, despite Hungerford protests that Tyler’s hand was not in an unnatural position. Aaron Javis sent Ryan Clarke the wrong way from the resulting penalty kick to make it 2-0

Five minutes later it was three 3-0. A long ball out from Torquay found Brad Ash clean through and he beat Clarke in a one on one. Again the goal had the suspicion of offside to it but like every other comparable decision it went the home sides way.

With Hungerford broken the home side scored two more before the break. A strike from torquay’s Collins was well save by Clarke but the ball went straight to Tom Lapsile for a tap in. then just before the break the referee decided it was time to award another penalty for a foul on Jarvis, whose spot kick this time was almost saved by Clarke but he could only push it into the roof of the net. 5-0 at half time and four goals conceded in the final ten minutes of the half in front of a shell shocked traveling support.

Danny Robinson would have wanted a second half reaction and to their credit Hungerford were much better in the second period although the game was long since won. Rhys Tyler had a shot well saved, Brad Hooper shot over from 25 yards and Medford-Smith saw a shot hastley cleared as the Crusaders almost hauled a goal back in the second period. It was Clarke though who also had to save shots from Lewis Collins and Brad Ash to stop the scoreline increasing more.

It was a ruthless first half performance from the full time Gulls that ultimately won the game. There was to be no party stopping repeat performance from Hungerford at Torquay in front of an impressive 100+ away supporters, who never stopped singing throughout the game.

Team : Clarke, Tyler (Paget, 75), Medford-Smith, Berry-Hargreaves, Carnell, Alexander, Davis, Hooper, Moore (Spasov, 45), McDonagh, Sambu (Shepherd, 45)
Subs Not Used : Thorp, Stanley, Wheeler, Softley

Attendance : 1648
Star Man : Matt Berry-Hargreaves