20 goals for McDonagh but only 1 point for Hungerford

Jack’s Wright & Alexander we absentees from the squad but Joe Shepherd made a welcome return as Hungerford returned to their least favourite surface at Basingstoke

It was a strong start from the visitors Sam De St Croix nearly found himself free early on but was blocked off. Then Ramarni Medford-Smith had a shot after 10 minutes that was flapped away by ex Hungerford keeper Paul Strudley , De St Croix then being flagged offside trying to mop up the rebound. Medford-Smith then put a delicious cross a few minutes later from the left that was headed just wide by Shepherd. The home side had their best chance after 17 minutes when another ex Hungerford player Marcus Johnson-Schuster forced Nicky Harvey into a good low save.

At the midway part of the half Hungerford took a deserved lead when Adulai Sambu’s through ball found De St Croix in the clear and he finished easily past Strudley in a one on one battle. De St Croix third goal in as many games. Hungerford were now fully on top and it took a very good save from Strudley on 37 minutes to keep the lead only at one. Jack Stanley pulled the ball back to De St Croix from the right and his shot was parried away. Then a minute later Shepherd probably though he was going to convert a Sambu cross but somehow Basingstoke’s defender cleared from under the crossbar to keep it 1-0 Hungerford at the break.

At the start of the second half Elis Watts saw a trademark run and shot go just over the bar. Just after the hour though Basingstoke were awarded a dubious looking penalty for a challenge on another ex Hungerford player Stefan Brown who’s exaggerated rolls convinced the referee to point to the spot. Brad Wilson converted past Harvey to make it 1-1. Five minutes later some more calamity for the Crusaders as Harvey & Matt Berry-Hargreaves collided and this not only gave Basingstoke the lead through Atkinson it injured skipper Berry-Hargreave who left the pitch replaced by Louis Paget.

Two minutes later Hungerford thought they should have been awarded a goal when a deflected effort off Conor McDongah went about a yard over the line but Studley pulled it back into play, the referee and linesman making a maladroit decision on the play. Just as Crusaders fans thought it was going to be one of those luckless nights with 5 to go Hungerford were awarded a penalty which McDonagh powered home for his 20th of the season

A “plastic” point a step in the right direction but they were frustrated it was not more

Team : Harvey, Stanley, Medford-Smith, Berry-Hargreaves (Paget), Jarra, Hooper, Shepherd (Lopes), De St Croix (Evans), Watts, McDonagh, Sambu
Sub Not used Liggett, Alexander

Star Man : Sam De St Croix