Chesham master the dark arts as Southern Premier League South leaders inflict first home defeat of the season on Town
Hungerford Town’s 15-game unbeaten home run came to an end following a 1-0 defeat to Southern Premier League South leaders Chesham on Saturday.
The Crusaders hadn’t lost at Bulpit Lane since April 25 but were undone by a powerful, physical and experienced visiting side.
Chesham went ahead in the 21st minute when Grenada international Ricardo German marked his 25th birthday with a close range header after the ball cannoned off the crossbar following a fingertip save by Ryan Clarke from Ryan Upward’s initial effort.
Marauding full-back Ramarni Medford-Smith struck the post two minutes into the second half and Conor McDonagh had an effort deflected wide late on but Town failed to seriously test Zaki Oualah in the Chesham goal as the Crusaders were beaten at home for the first time this term.
The visitors know-how and the referee’s insistence on slowing the game down in between breaks in play rather stifled the home side, with boss Danny Robinson left feeling that the stop-start game didn’t suit his side, who have been much more fluent in attack this season.
“We wanted a free-flowing game because I feel that’s where we’re probably at our best and in all fairness to Chesham they nullified us,” he said.
“They were extremely good at the dark arts. They’ve got bags and bags of experience and we just couldn’t break them down. I have to give them full credit.
“We hit the outside of the post but we didn’t really test their goalkeeper. You’ve just got to look at the experience in their back five and, for the first time this season, we didn’t manage to find the answer to it.
“If someone had said to me we’d have one defeat in 15, of course I’d have taken it. We’ve just got to try and put another run together now.”
Robinson has worked hard to change Town’s style this season, with the likes of Elis Watts, Brad Hooper, Conor McDonagh and Joe Shepherd making the Crusaders more potent in front of goal and more possession based.
Hungerford, who are also one of the most physically imposing sides in the league, have found different ways to win matches throughout the campaign but Robinson felt Chesham’s approach neutralised much of his side’s threat.
He said: “We have changed our footballing philosophy a little bit – the new training facilities have helped that massively.
“We want to be on the front foot and be more possession-based, but you have to have a ruthlessness in front of goal.
“Chesham were the first team to manage to stop us at home and they made it really difficult for us, we just couldn’t find a way.
“We’re happy with where we are and we’ve got 16 cup finals left to try and finish as high up the table as possible.”
Town swiftly turn their attention towards another big game ahead of the visit of fourth-placed Gosport Borough, who are one place and five points above Hungerford in the league and hammered them 4-0 in the reverse in September.
The Crusaders, who are currently occupying the fourth and final play-off spot, are set to be without centre-half Jack Wright, who was man-of-the-match at the weekend but will miss out due to his commitments with the navy.
That means Matt Berry-Hargreaves’ return from a dislocated shoulder is more timely than ever. The former Oxford United man has missed the last six weeks but returned to the fold in last Wednesday’s Berks and Bucks Cup defeat to Burnham, with Robinson confirming he is set to replace Wright in the XI.
“We owe them one,” he said.
“They taught us a lesson at their place but we’re a different side now. I’m sure we’ll give a better account of ourselves.
“Jack Wright’s been brilliant but unfortunately he is unavailable. We know all about how good Matt Berry-Hargreaves is and he’s a more than capable replacement.”
Kick-off at Bulpit Lane is tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7:45.
