Hungerford Town finished off pre-season with a three-nil home defeat to league two Newport County. At the earlier kick off time of 1PM, it didn't take long for the visitors to take the lead through captain Ross Labadie. Newport carried on in the ascendancy with the hosts taking time to settle. However, they could've been level with James Constable forcing goalkeeper Tom King into a low save. Instead it should have been two-nil on 18 minutes when lively winger Corey Whitley, striked just wide of the post. McGrory came close with a free kick whilst Adam Sivitar saved Whitley's shot at the other end. Whitley then got on the score-sheet vacating the space left by Matt Berry-Hargreaves to strike the ball past Sivitar. Mattie Dolan and Jamille Matt both had late chances to seal the game but Sivitar denied them on both occasions.
County made eleven changes at half time whilst Ian Herring also made four changes to his Hungerford side. Just 10 minutes into the second half Berry-Hargreaves gave away a spot kick but fortunately for the defender Padraig Amond couldn't convert, with the goalkeeper diving low to his right hand side to save the penalty. Amond wasn't to be denied soon after as he slotted the ball into the net for the third. The Exiles dropped off and the Crusaders saw lots of the ball without finding that finishing touch. Constable did score but saw it ruled out for offside after Marcus Johnson-Schuster's fierce effort was parried by Nick Townsend. Townsend denied Conor Lynch a late consolation goal, pushing the curling effort away.
We travel to Hemel Hempstead next weekend in the first national league south clash of the 2019/2020 season. Kick off is 3PM.