Arlesey 2, Hungerford Town 3

We retained 6th.position, just outside the play-offs, by a narrow win at Arlesey, but our hopes were improved when St, Neots, drew 3-3 at Slough after leading 3-0, whilst Poole , still likely champions, lost at Chippenham and Redditch, who were right on our heels, were beaten 4-0 at home by Truro . There is therefore still everything to play for with 4 games left, 3 of them at home, and, home support could make all the difference, starting with the visit of Slough Town on Easter Monday, followed by Chesham United next Saturday. We need all the support we can get for these vital games and now is the time for everyone to turnout and get behind the team.

Arlesey are battling to avoid relegation and need to beat Biggleswade on Monday to maintain their hopes of Premier Division football next season, but we twice conceded goals from corners to allow them back in the game after we had established a two-goal lead, and should have won more convincingly. However, having been well-beaten there last season, the three points were most welcome, and well-deserved, as we face four games in the closing weeks of the season, every one crucial to our play-off hopes.

We could hardly have had a better start when Dean Stow and James Pilling went close before Gary Horgan headed home from a corner by Alan O’Brien after only 9 minutes and Mark Draycott went near to increasing our lead. We made it 2-0 after 30 minutes when a perfect through pass from Pilling was converted by James Clark, but Horgan was badly injured and was replaced by Jon Boardman. It should soon have been 3-0 but Draycott fired over the empty net after a mistake by goalkeeper Nick Thompson, but instead, the home side reduced the arrears after 41 minutes when an in-swinging corner beat everyone and appeared to go directly into the net, although Jevani Brown was credited with the final touch.

This set-back did not matter, however, when Matt Day (pictured) came forward to smash in a long throw from James Rusby within a minute of the re-start to re-establish a two-goal margin but our defence again proved suspect when Dean Gilbert headed home following a corner, but we held on fairly comfortably and any hopes of a Arlesey equalizer were dashed when substitute Harry Carr was sent off for a scything tackle on Rusby
The points the only thing that mattered, however as we continue this vital battle.
Team; Strudley, Horgan(Boardman),John, Rusby, Day, Pilling, Stow , Collins,Clark(Mpi),Draycott, O’Brien(Rees) Subs;Goodger, Harrison.