Top scorer McDonagh undergoes surgery on eve of season

Hungerford Town have been handed an injury blow on the eve of the new Southern League Premier South season.

Last season’s top scorer Conor McDonagh will be out for four to six weeks after he underwent minor knee surgery this week.

And it leaves manager Danny Robinson with a bit of a headache ahead of the opening-day clash at Chertsey Town, especially as he wil be without the suspended Matt Berry Hargreaves and the unavailable Joe Shepherd and Brad Hooper.

Robinson – who himself is suspended for the Chertsey game following his red card against Hendon last term – said: “That’s four very big players who are going to be out.

“It’s going to be a tough game against Chertsey – I know their assistant manager Scott Tarr very well and they did brilliantly to win promotion last season.

“It’s going to be a bit of a cauldron down there. They are a very good side and can beat any side in the league on their day.”

Robinson is desperate to go one better than last season when the Crusader just missed out on the play-offs.

He said: “AFC Totton have just signed Charlie Austin, who will be a phenomenal player at this level, and there are a lot of very big clubs in this league.

“In fact, I think it is the strongest Southern League Premier for many years.

“I don’t want to set any targets, but our overall ambition is to get back to the National League South.

“Last year we dropped 26 points from winning positions, so we have to improve on that and see where it takes us.”

This time last year, Hungerford only had three players from the squad relegated from National League South.

During the summer Robinson signed on 13 players from the 2023/24 campaign and he has added extra quality as well.

He said: “Pre-season has been a bit up and down results wise, but we have tried new positions and formations and we haven’t always had our full side out.

“But on Saturday we got it right against a very good Stratford team and we played really well.

“The real business starts on Saturday and we are where we want to be.”