Borough blast leaves Hungerford in disarray

'Unacceptable' says Wilkinson as comeback comes too late to make a difference

Hungerford Town 1 Hampton & Richmond Borough 3

HUNGERFORD manager Bobby Wilkinson branded his side’s first half display as “totally unnaceptable” as second in the table Borough dealt the Vanarama National League South newcomers their harshest lesson yet in the new sphere.

Three goals in the opening half-an-hour made Hungerford’s usually mean defence look disheveled, and although the home side clawed one back before the break and had a go at salvaging the game in the second period, the visitors were well worth the points.

“We had a go but it was a bit late,” said Wilkinson. “They deserved to win and they looked like the best team in the league.

“I can accept losing a game of football,” he added, “but I won’t accept the way we played in the first half and I won’t stand for some of the performances.

“This result has hurt me more than ever because I can’t accept lying down like that in the first half.”

After an early home flurry, Borough went ahead from their first serious raid in the sixth minute when Brendan Kiernan started and finished the move by peeling away at the back to meet Nicke Kabamba’s cross.

They struck again midway through the half when Josh Casey’s corner was headed over the line by Jay Gasson, and when Jamal Lowe got down the left, Kabamba was on hand to score the third, and it might have been more but for some desperate last-ditch defending and referee Adam Ricketts being forced to change his in after awarded a penalty against Diak John for handball before his assistant confirmed that the offence occurred outside the area.

Hungerford got one back before the break when Mike Jones headed home Garyn Preen’s corner and they went for it after the interval and thought they had got another one back when Scott Rees’ free kick was fumbled by goalkeeper Aaron Howe and over the line, but Nat Jarvis was penalised for competing for the ball.

Comeback hopes fizzled out in the final quarter as Hungerford had left themselveS with far to much to do after those opening 45 minutes.

Hungerford Town: Legg; Tyler, Day, Jones, John; Rees, Rusby, L. Williams; Preen, Jarvis, Brown. Subs: Goodger, Soares, Boardman, Clark, Shorey.

Hampton and Richmond Borough: Howe; Jelley, Murphy, Gasson, Casey; Kiernan, Solomon, Odametey, Hippolyte-Patrick; Kabamba, Lowe. Subs: Hicks, Bishop, Ten-Grotenhuis, M. Williams, Kamara.

Referee: Adam Ricketts (Bristol). Attendance: 340.