Jose Marquez scored a late winner as Hungerford Town bounced back from defeat against AFC Totton with a 2-1 victory over bottom club Marlow.
Curtis Angell’s strike early in the second half was quickly cancelled out by Naheer Nawaf’s goal for the hosts and the Crusaders looked like they would have to settle for a point on the road.
Marquez though stepped-up with just four minutes to go to ensure all three points did return to Berkshire and keep Hungerford in the top seven in the Southern League table.
The Crusaders looked in control of the contest from the first whistle, but in hot conditions and on a dry playing surface it took the opening exchanges for the visitors to be able to find their rhythm.
Marlow goalkeeper Harrison Rhone wasn’t called into action until the 20th minute when he produced a fine fingertip save to push Joe Shepherd’s volley onto the post.
Hungerford sparked into life in pursuit of the opening goal as they began to penetrate the Marlow penalty area.
Louis McGrory had a goal-bound effort blocked and Marquez was close to finishing off a fine team move before the biggest chance of the first half fell to Rafa Ramos, but the striker was unable to beat Rhone one-on-one.
The ascendency continued to be with the Crusaders after the break, but Max Ram was the latest to spurn an opportunity early in the second half when he failed to direct his header on target from a McGrory free-kick.
The pressure though eventually paid off when Angell latched onto a through pass and showed composure inside the penalty area to set himself before firing a low shot beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.
With the deadlock broken it felt like the Crusaders would push on for more goals and hammer down their authority on proceedings.
The hosts though, having not threatened Ryan Clarke’s goal for much of the game, equalised just five minutes after Angells’ opener through Nawaf’s accurate strike.
Marquez thought he had immediately put Hungerford back in-front with a tap-in at the back post, but the assistant referee put his flag up for offside.
Substitute Billy Stedman had a positive impact on the game, and he too thought he had restored Hungerford’s advantage, but his fierce effort was well blocked by a defender.
It looked set to be a frustrating afternoon in Buckinghamshire until Brandon Curtis was sent off with 13 minutes remaining for the hosts for a foul on Marquez when the striker was running through on goal.
With fresh legs introduced, Hungerford were able to make their man advantage count in the final moments of the game.
Ram did well at the front post to head the ball across the penalty area, and Marquez was waiting unmarked at the back post where he was able to fire home the winning goal.
Ramos did miss the opportunity to make certain of the points when he couldn’t direct Jordon Ibe’s cross into the net.
However, despite a late red card for Ramarni Medford-Smith, alongside Mitchell Parker being sent for the hosts for a foul on Ram, the Crusaders secured another important three points.