HUNGERFORD TOWN 2
KIDLINGTON 1

HUNGERFORD TOWN kept their title hopes alive on Saturday (February 23) thanks to Ian Concannon’s first goal since Boxing Day.
Concannon chose the perfect time to rediscover his goal touch ahead of Saturday’s FA Vase showdown at home to Whitley Bay as his 80th minute winner narrowed the gap on Sport Italia Hellenic Premier League leaders Almondsbury to seven points.
Paul Powell, a former FA Vase winner alongside Concannon at Didcot Town in 2005, had the ball in the back of the net in the 11th minute but his effort after Kidlington goalkeeper Steve Benbow had parried Adam Mayo’s shot was ruled out for offside.
Powell also had another goal-bound shot blocked but Hungerford struggled to conjure up chances in the opening half hour against the stubborn Oxfordshire visitors.
And Kidlington added a cutting edge in the 29th minute when Jim Smith’s rash challenge brought down captain Mark Baker and he picked himself up off the ground to beat Dominic Green from the spot.
However, Hungerford stormed back and found the finish to match seven minutes later when Charlie Austin flicked on Chris Copp’s long throw-in and Mayo smashed a half volley home that Benbow just failed to stop from crossing the line.
The all-action Mayo was just foiled by Benbow for number two but Hungerford then struggled to exert their superiority on the visitors.
It was not until the 63rd minute that they created another worthwhile chance and it looked like being another day of frustration for Concannon as he latched onto Austin’s flick-on and shot too close to Benbow, though Powell’s slide almost diverted the ball into the net.
With the match entering the final 10 minutes, manager Alan Clark’s appeal from the touchline for his players to “show more quality” was answered in style.
Austin’s smart defence-splitting pass put Concannon clean through and this time he made no mistake with a convincing finish low past Benbow.
Hungerford had a scare when Jimmy Deabill’s header was cleared off the line by Powell but the hosts held on for what turned out to be a vital win as leaders Almondsbury could only draw at home to Flackwell Heath.

Hungerford Town: Dominic Green, Chris Copp, Jim Smith, Toby Clark, Steve Davis, Paul Bedwell, Paul Powell, Charlie Austin, Ian Concannon, Adam Mayo, Ben Fitch.