League leaders Walton & Hersham suffered a Valentine’s Day heartbreak at Bulpit Lane as Hungerford Town snatched all three points with virtually the last kick of the game. Substitute Andrio Brandão delivered the decisive blow deep into stoppage time, lifting the Crusaders out of the relegation zone and sending the home crowd into raptures.

Chances were scarce in a cagey first half, though Dawid Rogalski looked the liveliest threat. The forward had strong penalty appeals waved away after going down in the box on 15 minutes, much to the frustration of the visiting bench. Rogalski later forced Luke Cairney into a smart save ten minutes before the interval, while Hungerford’s best opening fell to Louis McGrory, who fired over just before the break.

Walton & Hersham thought they had broken the deadlock early in the second half when a goalmouth scramble ended with claims the ball had crossed the line, but Cairney clutched the ball on the line to his chest and the officials remained unmoved.

Ty Duffus probably should have put Hungerford into the lead moments later but his header from a Medford-Smith corner went over. The Swans best chance fell to Obeng but he flashed his shot wide of Cairney’s far post.

As the match drifted towards a stalemate, stoppage time produced a dramatic twist. Walton came agonisingly close to stealing the points, only for Ty Duffus to produce a heroic goal‑line header to keep Hungerford alive.

Moments later, the hosts surged forward. Carter Bowdery burst down the left and delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, where Brandão arrived with perfect timing to smash home the winner in the sixth minute of added time.

A game that seemed destined for frustration ended in jubilation for Hungerford—while the league leaders were left stunned by a late blow that could yet have implications in the title race.

Team : Cairney, McGrory, Medford-Smith, Berry-Hargreaves, Gyebi, Duffus, Smith (Squires), Shepherd, Marcon (Bowdery), Tooze (Lynch), Conteh (Brandao)
Sub Not used : Brearey (GK)

Attendance : 359
Star Man : Joe Shepherd