First League Away win at Swindon Supermarine

Hungerford secured their first away win of the League season with a 3 – 2 victory at Swindon Supermarine. It all seemed plain sailing until a spirited Supermarine comeback in the second half.

Top scorer Conor McDonagh opened the scoring after only a couple of minutes against his former team. Elis Watts finding McDonagh with a ball over the top who then turned the Marine defender to power the ball past Marine keeper Louis Evans.

This put Hungerford on top and Brad Hooper and Adulai Sambu both went close with long range attempts. At the midpoint of the half McDonagh really should have made it 2-0 when he forced an error from Evans after a back pass from Ioan Richards. McDonagh winning the ball off the keeper but shooting against the crossbar.

This could have been a turning point as Marine then came back into the game playing some football that was pleasing on the eye. Joe Tumelty forced Ryan Clarke into a good save after 30 minutes before Levi Irving flashed a shot just wide near the end of the half with Marine looking to be on top. In stoppage time at the end of the half however Hungerford doubled their lead through McDonagh when he pounced on a flicked-on goal kick to round Evans and score the second goal.

At the very start of the second half Marine sub, Henry Spalding, found himself one on one with Ryan Clarke but he could on shoot straight at
the Hungerford number one. A costly error as only a minute later Sambu found Watts and the Hungerford winger shot past Evans to make it 3 - 0 to the Crusaders who were surely out of sight?

On 58 minutes a cross from Sam Turi found Spalding, this time he produced a sweet volley to power past Clarke and pull one back for the home team. Hungerford’s nerves looked frayed and only some frantic defending and the denial of a penalty shout when Zach Kotwica went tumbling in the Hungerford box kept the home team out.

Eventually though Marine did get one back with 15 minutes to go, Jake Andrews curled a free kick around the Hungerford wall and past Clarke and now only one goal separated the sides. Hungerford brought on Sean Moore and Sam De St Croix and both players managed to keep and get the ball into safer areas of the pitch and eventually the visitors held on for the three points in the B4192 derby.

Team: Clarke, Tyler, Medford-Smith, Berry-Hargreaves, Carnell, Davis, Hooper, Alexander, Watts (St De Croix, 82), McDonagh, Sambu (Moore,76) Subs Not Used : Paget, Spasov, Shepherd
Attendance 396
Star Man – McDonagh