Crusaders final home game of the season ends in narrow defeat
Hungerford Town suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Bath City on Tuesday evening, just three days after they were relegated from the National League South in agonising fashion.
The visit of mid-table Bath was perhaps an unenviable task for the deflated Crusaders, whose lacklustre first half performance suggested they were still understandably suffering from Saturday’s heartbreak as a brace from Scott Wilson sent them in 2-0 down at the break.
However Hungerford still have pride to play for – and, in fact, have played with great pride all season – and came battling back after half time, with Michael Fernandes halving the deficit before Joel Rollinson went close to rescuing a point late on.
The Crusaders have lacked goalscorers for most of the season – the exceptions being David Bremang, who scored four goals in four games before injuring his anterior cruciate ligament, and Dan Roberts – but their commitment, determination and desire have never been in doubt and all that was on show at a chilly Bulpit Lane in midweek.
Hungerford are still hoping to avoid finishing bottom and Danny Robinson fielded a full strength side to do battle with the Romans, making just one change as Kyle Bailey replaced Jerry Gyebi in the heart of defence.
The contest took some time to get going, with the Crusaders lukewarm at best and struggling to deal with balls into the box in the opening exchanges.
The hosts were almost architects of their own downfall after three minutes after failing to get to grips with the first of a number of long throws into their box before the ball fell to Elliot Frear – who spent a season in the Scottish Premier League with Hearts – but the winger flashed his half volley wide of Max Evans’ post.
Five minutes later and it was Bath’s turn to fail to deal with a long ball, allowing in-form winger Michael Fernandes to steal in and shoot from the edge of the box, but his left-footed effort was into the side netting.
Fernandes was taking up good positions and causing Bath’s back line plenty of problems, shooting wide again in the 19th minute after Joe Boachie had miscontrolled a Ryan Jones cross and the ball skidded invitingly into the Farnborough loanee’s path.
Max Evans is the 11th man to wear the gloves for Hungerford this season and the Yeovil loanee had to be at his best to save from Dan Hayfield’s close range header after the hosts allowed the marauding midfielder far too much space at the back post after 29 minutes.
Evans had no chance two minutes later when a cross flashed across the face and Frear had the presence of mind to cut the ball back to Scott Wilson, who fired into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.
Hungerford were having to deal with a sustained spell of pressure after going behind but handed the visitors a gilt-edged chance to double their lead in the 37th minute when Kyle Bailey collided with Jack Batten in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
The decision was perhaps a little harsh and Bailey unfortunate – to home fans, it appeared an innocuous collision, but to the travelling faithful, it was a cynical body check.
Wilson stepped up to take the penalty and sent Evans the wrong way to score his fifth goal in three games and make it 2-0 to the Romans.
The relentless running of Dan Roberts was causing problems at the other end and the Slough loanee almost reduced the arrears two minutes after Wilson’s spot-kick when he stole the ball from Jack Batten before shooting on the turn and forcing a save from the legs of Max Harris.
Joe Boachie almost let his frustration get the better of him five minutes before the break when he was muscled off the ball – although he’ll tell you he was fouled – and dragged full-back Joe Raynes to the floor.
A tangle of legs followed and the two men squared up to each other upon returning to their feet, forcing the referee to intervene and show yellow cards to both players.
There was time for one more chance before half time following good work from Jake Evans, who held his ground well and laid the ball off for Roberts, who looked up and fired an effort across the face of goal and forced Harris to turn the ball behind.
The visitors were almost out of sight within a minute of the restart when Matt Berry-Hargreaves – who was excellent as usual, barring this misstep and one other misplaced pass – made a mess of a clearance and allowed the all-action Hayfield in on goal, but the industrious midfielder flashed his strike into the side netting.
Hayfield – who spent the best part of five years plying his trade in Canada – was a constant thorn in the Crusaders side thanks to his lung-busting runs from midfield and popped up on the edge of the box again in the 50th minute but missed the target with his strike.
Hungerford pulled one back after 53 minutes when the lively Fernandes stole in between the onrushing Harris and the backtracking Batten and poked the ball into the net to score his second goal in three games and make it 2-1.
The hosts went close to an equaliser 10 minutes later when James Morton tripped Rhys Tyler and from the resulting free-kick Ryan Jones’ strike clipped the wall and wrong-footed Harris, who had to be at full stretch to paw the ball onto the crossbar.
The Crusaders now looked much the better side and Danny Robinson’s substitutes – Fabio Lopes, Great Evans and Joel Rollinson – were making an impact but at the other end Max Evans was forced into a fine save from Wilson after a sloppy pass from Kyle Bailey, denying the frontman his hat-trick.
Berry-Hargreaves often looks at his best when bringing the ball out from the back and showed his class when he picked out Ryan Jones with a wonderful pass and the youngster – who by this point had reverted to full-back, having started on the wing – crossed for Lopes and the former Oxford United man drilled a low shot goalwards, but Harris was equal to his effort to preserve the Romans’ lead.
Hungerford almost equalised with just about the last kick of the game when a typically weaving run from Jones set up Rollinson and the attacker’s low drive forced an excellent save from Harris, who dived to his left and turned the ball wide to ensure the three points returned with the Romans to Somerset.
Boss Danny Robinson admitted his side were still suffering from Saturday’s clash with Dulwich Hamlet but was proud of his team’s spirited response in the second half.
“I think there was a hangover from Saturday,” he said.
“We played 75 minutes with 10 men and finished the game with nine and that really took its toll.
“We were lacklustre first half, we just weren’t quite at it and I have to credit Bath who were very bright and moved the ball well.
“It’s human nature that the lads were a little bit off it.
“I have to credit the lads, the effort and the work ethic was always there.
“I didn’t say too much at half time, I just called it as it was and said we were very bad.
“I was really proud of the fight the lads showed in the second half.”
The Crusaders’ time in the National League South concludes with a trip to champions Ebbsfleet, with Hungerford needing to win in Kent and Cheshunt to lose at Tonbridge Angels if they’re to avoid finishing bottom.
