Hungerford Town FC 3, Yate 1 – another big win!
Conor McDonagh shook Bulpit Lane with two late goals to seal a third consecutive league victory for Hungerford.
The first half saw the home side concede a goal in the 21st minute to a free flowing Yate move which involved more than a dozen passes! It was finished off by James Taylor who latched on to a through ball from Oli Jenkins to slot the ball past an outrushing Luke Cairney.
Hungerford’s closest efforts were a Zach Kotwica corner, the inswinging effort was punched away under the crossbar by Yate’s keeper Aaron Sainsbury. Then near half time some quick thinking involving Joe Shepherd and Harry Williams almost forced an own goal from the visitors but Sainsbury was alert again.
Hungerford for the second game in a row changed tactically at half time bringing on Jordan Rose & Ramarni Medford-Smith. The change had an immediate impact as during Hungerford’s first attack Williams played in James Ollis who produced a thumping finish to equalise. Hungerford were on top now and Williams almost headed in a Kotwica free kick minutes later. Another big chance fell on the hour to Curtis Angell who shot over from a tight angle.
By now though the game had turned into a stop start affair not helped by an arduous referee who did not let the game flow. This caused tempers to rise on both sides which was a shame for a game with hardly a bad tackle until that point.
Luke Cairney pulled off an incredible save to keep the scores level with ten minutes to go pushing the ball onto the crossbar and he was also helped by a Rose goal line clearance and it was all hands to the pump for Hungerford’s defence for a moment. Minutes later Yate were down to ten when Chris Zebroski was dismissed after the latest scuffle between the two sets of players.
Hungerford had introduced Kyle Tooze and Conor McDonagh to the front line to try to win the game. On the 90th minute George Smith took a long throw into the box which was cleared back to him. Smith then crossed and found McDonagh who looped the ball out of Sainsburys reach into the net. The scenes of celebration said much about how appreciated the striker is to Hungerford fans who all know about his injury troubles.
Deep into injury time Tooze broke past the Yate defence and when he was turning to shoot a Yate defender slid past the ball and used his hand to push it out of Tooze’s reach. A penalty was a ward and Yate went down to ten after Dempsey protested.
McDonough converted the penalty with his usual aplomb to secure the first ever Hungerford bank holiday win for manager Danny Robinson!
Photo by kind permission of Jeff Youd
