Hungerford into last 16 as Jones on target
Hungerford Town progressed to the last 16 of the FA Trophy following a hard-fought 2-1 win over Southern Premier League side Tamworth.
The Crusaders have become used to being underdogs this season but started this game as favourites, albeit not by much. With Tamworth top of the Southern Premier Division Central and Hungerford bottom of the National League South, there was technically just a single place separating the two sides in the English football pyramid.
With a host of local games falling foul of the weather, there was never any doubt that this fourth round clash at Bulpit Lane would go ahead and more than 200 Tamworth fans travelled down from Staffordshire and were in fine voice throughout.
Although Tamworth shaded the first five minutes Hungerford, off the back of their crucial 1-0 win over Dover Athletic last week, took the lead in the ninth minute when Matt Berry-Hargreaves’ shot cannoned off the post and rebounded straight to the feet of Christie Ward who tapped in from six yards, despite a suspicion of offside.
Apparently undeterred by their early setback, the visitors remained competitive and fashioned a handful of half chances after going behind.
A diagonal ball into Hungerford’s box appeared to be the Lambs favoured tactic and both centre halves, captain Alex Collard and man mountain Liam Dolman, directed headers goalwards before the half hour mark.
There was little in the contest as Hungerford, despite their lead, struggled to create a clear-cut chance. Jake Evans ballooned an effort well over the bar in the 28th minute and Kyle Bailed failed to connect with a cross two minutes later, but this was anything but a one-sided clash.
That said, there wasn’t much to suggest an equaliser was imminent until the third minute of first half added time when Kyle Finn’s quick feet proved too fast for Curtis Angell, whose clumsy challenge prompted the referee to point to the penalty spot – a soft decision perhaps, but the fact that Angell ended up the wrong side of his man and failed to make contact with the ball meant the Crusaders could have few complaints.
When the dust, or rather mud, settled frontman Dan Creaney stepped up and sent Jed Ward the wrong way from the spot, prompting wild celebrations from the travelling Tamworth fans behind the goal before the referee blew for half time.
It didn’t take long for Hungerford to retake the lead after the restart. A bouncing ball struck striker Dan Roberts in the face and, when it looked like the referee was tempted to blow his whistle, the marauding Rhys Tyler found his opposite number, Bristol Rovers loanee Ryan Jones, who created half a yard on his left foot and drilled a low shot beyond Jas Singh and into the bottom corner.
The Crusaders looked far more comfortable for most of the second 45 and had chances to double their lead as Singh denied George Smith and then the all-action Louis McGrory while a superb block thwarted Jake Evans, but as the clock ticked down the hosts inevitably sat back and invited Tamworth on.
The Lambs were ultimately unable to create the gilt-edged chance they needed, although goalscorer Jones demonstrated his value at the other end when he was on hand to clear a header, albeit a tame one, off the line with 11 minutes to go.
Full back Callum Cockerill-Mollett had perhaps Tamworth’s best chance with five minutes remaining but saved the officials the not inconsiderable task of noting his name down as a scorer when he headed the ball into the arms of the ever-reliable Ward in the Hungerford goal.
The referee then came to the Crusaders’ rescue moments later, failing to play advantage and instead pulling Tamworth back for a free kick, which came to nothing, when the visitors looked to be in two on one.
Hungerford had a late chance to double their lead but substitute Joel Rollinson was denied by the impressive Singh as the Crusaders advanced to the last 16 and kept their Wembley dreams alive.
