Crusaders frustrated by resolute Magpies

It was a classic game of two halves as Hungerford Town and Dorchester Town played out an entertaining one-one draw at Bulpit Lane.

The first chance of the game fell to the hosts on four minutes, Slavi Spasov firing straight into the arms of goalkeeper Lloyd Thomas.

Dorchester grew into the contest and Ryan Clarke made two fine saves to beat away Jordan Barnett’s free kick and then push wide a header from the resulting corner.

The Magpies were particularly dangerous on the transition and Shaquille Gwengwe should have at least hit the target when one on one with Clarke.

That miss was soon forgotten about as minutes later ex-Crusader Leighton Thomas beat the goalkeeper at his near post to fire the visitors ahead.

Jordan Ngalo came close with a spectacular effort that threatened to curl into the net but luckily for Hungerford it swerved wide before Gwengwe hit the post from a similarly tight angle.

The game turned after the half-time interval with the introduction of Nathan Davis in midfield and a tweak in formation enabling the Crusaders to gain control of the contest.

Hungerford were rewarded just three minutes into the second half when a ferocious first-time strike from Ramarni Medford-Smith struck the roof of the net.

That equaliser was just what the hosts needed, and they continued to dominate the second half with the visitors now looking happy to take a point back to Dorset and Clarke became a mere spectator.

However, Thomas also remained relatively untroubled in-between the sticks at the other end as the Magpies held resolute.

The closest the game got to a winner was in the final five minutes when a Davis long throw bounced through to Curtis Angell who remarkably missed the target from a yard out, managing to get underneath the ball and send it over the crossbar.

A winner could not be found but Hungerford remain unbeaten at home this season