In-form Fernandes can help fire Hungerford back to National League
Talented winger Michael Fernandes believes Hungerford's unbeaten pre-season shows the Crusaders can compete towards the top end of the Southern Premier League ahead of the new season.
The 24-year-old wideman has scored six goals – including a 15 minute hat-trick against Kingstonian – helping Hungerford to win five of their six pre-season matches, drawing the other with National League North side Gloucester City, new home of former chairman Patrick Chambers.
Fernandes was one of Hungerford's standout performers towards the back end of last season after signing on loan from Farnborough, scoring in an impressive 3-0 win over Taunton, and has been at his best in pre-season as the Crusaders look to bounce straight back following relegation from the National League South.
Comfortable on either flank but most often deployed on the left, the mercurial wideman feels his excellent recent form is a result of his falling in love with football again since arriving at Bulpit Lane in the spring.
"I'm loving it," he said.
"I worked hard before we came back so I could hit the ground running and I feel like all the hard work has paid off."
Fernandes scored from the spot in Hungerford's draw with Gloucester, bagged the second in the Crusaders 3-2 win over National League South Chippenham and scored a stunning 15 minute hat-trick in a thumping 3-0 win over Southern Premier League rivals Kingstonian.
And the winger has been delighted to find the net with such frequency this summer, having set himself a target of seven goals prior to pre-season.
He said: "I might have scored a few when I was growing up but I've never scored a hat-trick like that at this level.
"At the start of pre-season I spoke to my agent and we set a target of scoring seven goals, so I'm one away and I'm hungry for more in the remaining two games.
"I love scoring goals so I'm pleased."
Last season Hungerford were the National League South's lowest scorers and, despite being competitive throughout, finished bottom and were relegated, ending an eight year stay at National League level.
Boss Danny Robinson has worked hard to rectify his side's problems in front of goal, bringing in frontmen Conor McDonagh, David Bremang and Slavi Spasov.
However the Crusaders will need more than just an effective number nine if they're serious about challenging for promotion this term and Fernandes looks like he could be the man to provide much-needed support to the strikers.
Capable of adding assists – his inch-perfect pass set up Karnell Chambers for the opening goal in Tuesday night's 4-1 win over North Leigh – as well as scoring goals, the fleet-footed attacker has the potential to become one of Hungerford's most influential players.
"I feel like I'm a winger that can bring goals," Fernandes said.
"I want to provide goals and assists, all I really want to do is to help the team.
"I think the gaffer has recruited really well, we've got players that offer a lot of different things and have a lot of different attributes, which we'll need this season.
"We've got a lot of players that can chip in with goals and I hope I can be one of them."
Robinson certainly looks to have recruited a well-balanced squad, with 20 outfielders and two goalkeepers and including a number of versatile players capable of playing in various different positions.
With Fernandes having shown he's at home across the front line, he feels the entire squad will have an important role to play if Hungerford are to deal with the demands of the Southern League.
He said: "I think we've got a really good squad and I think we can only get stronger.
"We've been gelling really well and there's a really good feeling amongst the lads, we're settled and we're in a good place.
"With the likelihood of injuries and how tough the league can be, it's really important to have a strong squad and that's what we have."
This pre-season has been a considerable improvement on last summer, when the Crusaders found themselves rushing to replace departing stars Ryan Seager, Sol Wanjau-Smith and Luke Cairney and lost to Hellenic League side Brimscombe and Thrupp before going on to endure a chaotic couple of months.
This time around could not have been more different, with Hungerford strengthening all over the park, getting their business done well in advance of the season opener in August and adding some much needed steeliness and experience to the ranks.
Fernandes feels the confidence his side have gained from their recent winning run will stand them in good stead ahead of a return to competitive action on August 5.
"Winning football matches is a good habit to get into," he said.
"I think what we've done well is to get results even when we haven't played that well.
"We're not going to be at our best all the time so we've got to find a way to grind it out when we need to."
Hungerford's pre-season programme concludes with a trip to Danny Robinson's former side Thatcham Town on Saturday – with whom he won the FA Vase in 2018 – before a final behind-closed-doors clash with Wiltshire League outfit Kintbury Rangers on Tuesday evening.
Earlier in the week, Robinson hailed Fernandes as "supremely talented" and "capable of being as good as he wants to be" and the skillful winger credits the Crusaders boss for his role in his form since arriving at the club.
"Danny, as a gaffer and also as a friend, is an excellent man and I really appreciate him bringing me into this family that he's building," he said.
"You can see, on and off the pitch, that everyone's on the same page and we all get on.
"I think we're all excited to see if we can get the club back to where it belongs."
Hungerford begin their Southern League campaign next Saturday with the visit of Plymouth Parkway, who finished 10th last term, and Fernandes feels confident his side can get off to that all important winning start.
He said: "It'll be massive if we can start with three points.
"We're winning games in pre-season at the moment and I feel like in the long term that means something.
"We're pleased to start at Bulpit Lane, everyone's going to be buzzing and I think we'll be strong when Saturday comes."
Fernandes, whose enthusiasm and desire are obvious when he speaks, knows what it takes to win promotion from the Southern Premier League, firing former club Farnborough to the National League South via the play-offs in the 2021/22 season.
And the in-form forward believes his new side have a lot of the qualities required to follow in Farnborough's footsteps and bounce back from relegation at the first time of asking.
He said: "To be honest, I think we should all set our targets high and I see a promotion coming.
"I know some people might think that's cocky, but I genuinely do believe we can do it.
"I've been at this level and I've seen the strength of our team and the quality of players we've got.
"Even the lads that aren't fit are working so hard to get back because we all want to be a part of something that we feel has potential to be special."
