Hungerford surprise National League Magpies

Hungerford Town were 3-1 winners over National League side Maidenhead United at Bulpit Lane on Saturday, July 23.

It was the Crusaders first win of pre-season; Danny Robinson's side begin their new National League South campaign in less than two weeks at home to Concord Rangers.

Mark Scott, in the Hungerford goal, provided the game's first heart-stopping moment when he brought the ball out with his feet and beat two oncoming Maidenhead attackers before clearing.

Scott, however, was powerless to stop the visitors taking the lead inside 20 minutes when Sam Barratt blasted a 30 yard free-kick into the top corner.

The busiest person on the pitch in the first half was the referee – the man in the middle had to contend with two scuffles and the complaints of Maidenhead's veteran manager Alan Devonshire, and was perhaps relieved to blow the half-time whistle with the score 1-0 to the visitors.

The Crusaders equalised almost immediately after the restart when Jake Evans, who impressed in midfield, stepped up to slot a penalty beyond Maidenhead's Dan Gyollai.

Hungerford then took the lead on 70 minutes when Matt Berry-Hargreaves capitalised on a goalkeeping error to turn the ball home, and it was 3-1 when Ben Allen converted Town's second penalty of the afternoon following good work from substitutes Leighton Thomas and Kamaron English.

It was almost 4-1 when a late Allen free-kick struck the woodwork as an impressive Hungerford continued to press until the final whistle.

Manager Danny Robinson was "delighted" with the performance.

"I think we're starting to see what this Hungerford Town side could potentially be, it was a good all-round performance," he said.

Hungerford continued their fine form with a 3-2 win over Isthmian League side Leatherhead thanks to a brace from former Hartlepool United man Niko Muir and a first Crusaders goal for Leighton Thomas, who signed from Paulton Rovers in the summer.