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Robinson ready for league leaders Chesham as Town make it 14 unbeaten with convincing win over Dorchester




Hungerford Town boss Danny Robinson admits he has thought about winning the league ahead of the visit of leaders Chesham on Saturday.

The Crusaders, who are 10 points behind the Southern Premier League South front-runners, made it 14 league games unbeaten following a comfortable 4-2 win over strugglers Dorchester at the weekend.

Goals from Conor McDonagh, Sam De St Croix, Joe Shepherd and Fabio Lopes fired the Crusaders to a convincing victory as Town backed up a fruitful festive period with another important three points on the road.

The prolific Conor McDonagh opened the scoring in Saturday’s 4-2 win
The prolific Conor McDonagh opened the scoring in Saturday’s 4-2 win

And Robinson, who named an unchanged team for the third game in a row, was delighted with his side’s showing ahead of a potentially vital contest at Bulpit Lane this week.

“I thought, in the second half especially, we were exceptional,” he said.

“We controlled parts of it in the first half but they had their chances and Clarkey (Ryan Clarke) pulled off two great saves, but apart from that we were very good.

“The manner of the goals was what pleased me most, especially Sam’s (Sam De St Croix) and Shep’s (Joe Shepherd). I was really pleased.”

Robinson was handed an additional boost when substitute Fabio Lopes turned in Charlton Athletic loanee Tolu Ladapo’s cross for the fourth goal as he continued to work his way back to full fitness.

The former Oxford United man impressed at the back end of the last season but has missed almost all of this campaign with a serious injury, with Robinson delighted to welcome the exciting attacker back into the fold in recent weeks.

He said: “I absolutely adore Fabio, I really do – as a young man and a footballer, he’s fantastic.

“He’s had a bit of an up-and-down time with injuries but he’s always been around the group with a smile on his face and he has undoubted quality.

“He’s pushing to get into the starting XI and gives us another great option.”

Meanwhile, Robinson bolstered his midfield with the signing of Jacob Gardiner-Smith.

The versatile 26-year-old began his career with Russian giants CSKA Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg – and as such is a fluent Russian speaker – and has had spells at St Albans, Wycombe Wanderers and Hemel Hempstead since returning to England.

Robinson was keen to strengthen his squad – with Ladapo set to return to Charlton at the end of this week – and swooped to sign Gardiner-Smith after he left Hanwell Town.

“Jacob first the mould of a Hungerford Town midfielder. He’s energetic, he’s box-to-box and he loves a tackle,” Robinson said.

“We’re blessed in that area at the minute but it’s important to add when things are going well and we think he’s going to bring us something different.”

Robinson is expected to field a rotated side for Town’s trip to Burnham in the Berks and Bucks Cup in midweek, with the boss confirming Matt Berry-Hargreaves will start as he continues his recovery from a dislocated shoulder.

Supporters will find it impossible not to have at least one eye on Saturday’s visit of league leaders Chesham as the Crusaders go in search of revenge following a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture in August.

Three of Chesham’s four league defeats this season have come away from home and, with Town unbeaten at Bulpit Lane since April, Robinson is hopeful his side can lay down a marker with a statement win.

He said: “Of course we’ve thought about winning the league, that’s one of the reasons we get involved in football.

“Saturday is a massive game for both sides. When we went there I felt they chewed us up and spat us out and we were taught a bit of a lesson.

“We’ve come a long, long way since then and we’ve got nothing to lose. We’ll give it our best.”



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