Celtic shatter Wembley dream as Hungerford out of FA Trophy
Hungerford Town crashed out of the FA Trophy following a 3-2 defeat at home to embattled National League North side Farsley Celtic on Saturday.
This was one of the biggest games in the Crusaders’ recent history but Celtic made the trip down from West Yorkshire with more than a place in the quarter-finals on their mind – some fans had not been to watch their team for more than a year in protest against the club’s owner and chairman, Paul Barthorpe.
Both sides started well and had chances within the first five minutes as first Ryan Jones and then Farsley’s Carlton Ubaezouno tried their luck from distance, forcing saves from both goalkeepers.
While Hungerford fans like to sing that the Berkshire town is full of ‘antiques and grannies’, the travelling Yorkshire contingent boasted of an Asda and a Co-Op and it was almost supermarkets 1-0 heirlooms when Ubaezouno went close with an acrobatic effort that sailed just over the bar after the Crusaders defence failed to deal with a long throw.
However the home side, who had won 12 points from the last 21 available at Bulpit Lane, went ahead in the 8th minute when the in-form Jake Evans made it two goals in two games, bending a spectacular free-kick beyond Max Dearnley to fire the Crusaders into a 1-0 lead.
Unfortunately for Hungerford, their lead was to prove short-lived and the visitors were level less than 10 minutes later after the hosts failed to deal with a diagonal ball into the box and captain Andy Butler half-volleyed a strike into Jed Ward’s right-hand corner, the 39-year-old centre-half celebrating his 55th career goal.
This was turning into a classic cup-tie and Christie Ward was causing Celtic all sorts of problems, going close twice in the 26th minute when his stinging strike forced Dearnley into a smart initial save before the Wycombe loanee missed a gilt-edged chance at the near post after Jake Evans delivered the ball back into the visitors' box.
Farsley had the ball in the back of the net right on the stroke of half time but Harry Jessop was correctly adjudged to have been in an offside position while Ward had another great chance down the other end, heading Ryan Jones’ inch-perfect cross wide before the referee blew for half time.
The second half was no less entertaining.
Celtic took the lead just before the hour when Bobby Johnson scored from the penalty spot, sending Ward the wrong way with his right foot, after centre-half Kyle Bailey had inexplicably handled yet another long ball into the Crusaders' box.
The travelling supporters were very much enjoying their visit to Berkshire but their lead lasted less than four minutes as Crusaders frontman David Bremang beat Dearnley with a powerful left-footed finish from the edge of the box, making it three goals in three games since arriving at Bulpit Lane for the 22-year-old.
Five minutes later and a diagonal ball undid the Crusaders for a third time, this time Butler turned provider as he flicked on Bobby Johnson’s free-kick for Harry Jessop, who beat the onrushing Ward to the ball and poked home to make it 3-2 to the National League North side.
In response, boss Danny Robinson made three changes in quick succession and even brought on centre-half Jerry Gyebi to play as a makeshift striker but it was two of the original 11 who fashioned Hungerford’s final chance in the fifth minute of six added on as Jones beat two Celtic defenders and stood the ball up for Bremang, whose header was cleared off the line as the visitors held on to advance to the last eight of the Trophy for the first time in the club’s history.
Hungerford, who cut the gap to National League South safety to five points thanks to their 3-0 win over St Albans last time out, return to league action this weekend with the visit of 12th placed Hemel Hempstead, who themselves haven’t lost in their last six.
