Newbury bolster title charge and banish away day demons with 3-1 win at Hambleden

Newbury won on the road for the first time this season, beating Hambleden 3-1.

New man Dean Stockwell, who now has three goals in two games, opened the scoring in the first half.

Hambleden’s stand-in goalkeeper produced a string of sharp saves to keep his side in the game but player-manager Ben Wickens doubled Newbury’s lead after the break.

Elliot King made it three with a deflected strike and, although the hosts pulled one back, Newbury held firm to win for the first time in four matches.

With Wickens playing the full 90 minutes, assistant manager James O’Doherty was watching on and hailed a much-improved showing from his side.

“We played with a lot more energy than recent performances and could have been four or five up at half time,” he said.

“The lads took on some tactical instructions well at half time and continued with a good work rate in the second half; again, we could have scored another four or five goals.

“We need to be more clinical in front of goal collectively but it was a good win against a physical team.”

As ever, there was no one more delighted with the three points than Newbury chairman Keith “Keggy” Moss.

And he’ll be hoping Saturday’s win could prove vital come the end of the season, with Newbury moving up one place to third in the Thames Valley Premier League Division 1 table.

Newbury, who are level on points with Binfield under-23s and three points behind leaders Reading YMCA Rapids, are next in league action on February 17 when they host bottom side Woodley United.