Charles conquers wasteful Crusaders but Robinson won't stop believing

Hungerford Town have enjoyed some memorable results while punching well above their weight in the National League South but Tuesday night’s 2-1 defeat at home to Cheshunt was without a doubt one to forget – if things don’t improve, their seventh season at this level will be their last.

Now second bottom, Hungerford’s lack of cutting edge was once again at the forefront of the post-match discussion as the Crusaders were left to rue a host of missed chances.

Hungerford were without the impressive Matt Berry-Hargreaves at the heart of their defence but the first chance came at the other end when George Smith’s drive cannoned back off the post.

This felt like a winnable game for the Crusaders but the hosts were two down before half time and left with a mountain to climb.

The visitors went ahead when captain Joe Re beat Wycombe loanee Tyla Dickinson from distance in the 15th minute and it was 2-0 five minutes before the break after the lively Ken Charles headed home to send the vocal visiting fans into raptures.

Hungerford responded well in the second half and Curtis Angell thought he’d halved the deficit in the 52nd minute only for his header to strike the inside of the far post and roll agonisingly across the face of goal.

Callum Willmoth went close on the hour but was denied by the outstretched leg of Cheshunt’s Norwich-loanee Joe Rose before Jake Evans fired into the side netting from eight yards.

The hosts pulled one back with 12 minutes left on the clock when substitute Ben Allen bundled home Rhys Tyler’s cross but a late equaliser proved evasive, Jerry Gyebi’s 88th minute header the closest the Crusaders came to levelling the scores.

The result means Cheshunt leapfrog Hungerford in the league following the Crusaders' second defeat in four days.

And boss Danny Robinson has admitted his side are in a relegation "dogfight" but has vowed to "fight and scrap" to the bitter end.

Robinson felt his side deserved at least a point from the game but was left frustrated by Hungerford's failure to convert a succession of gilt-edged chances.

He said: "We didn't put the ball in the back of the net, it's as simple as that.

"We counted up 25 shots to their four, we've hit the woodwork, we've forced their goalkeeper into a couple of cracking saves.

"Football is won in both boxes, and we just haven't been good enough in either.

"Everything inbetween the boxes has been good all season long but we're lacking ruthlessness, both in front of goal and in terms of keeping clean sheets.

"It's an instinct and at the moment we lack it, it's not for the want of trying.

"Even at 2-0 down at half time I said to the lads that if we got the next goal, we could go on and win it.

"It's frustrating, we're in a massive dogfight.

"A lot of soul-searching and a lot of hard work ahead, but we're prepared to fight and scrap to try and get out of it."

Next up for Hungerford are two games against mid-table opposition in Welling United and Oxford City and Robinson is confident his side can pick up some much-needed points.

"The belief is still there, everyone that was here tonight can see that we were the better side," Robinson said.

"Everything we do we want to do with a smile on our face, we want to keep enjoying our football and of course winning games will make that a lot easier.

"Football can be a mean, dark place but it makes me even more determined, fingers crossed it will turn."

The Crusaders will be hoping for a change of fortunes this weekend on the road at Welling and will be encouraged by the fact that Warren Feeney's side lost 4-1 in midweek.