Still hope at Hungerford

No side wants to be bottom at Christmas.

That's the prospect staring Hungerford Town in the face, the Crusaders rock bottom of the National league South with one more league game to play before December 25.

With Danny Robinson's side four points adrift of second bottom Cheshunt, the Crusaders will prop up the table on Christmas Day whether they beat Chelmsford City next week or not.

It goes without saying it's been a difficult campaign for the Crusaders so far, having won three times in 21 league games this term, scoring just 15 goals.

The problems started in the summer when Hungerford lost a number of key players – Ryan Seager, who scored 41 goals in 59 games across two seasons, stepped up to National League new boys Dorking Wanderers, Sol Wanjau-Smith, who was Town's young player of the season, moved to Maidstone while goalkeeper Luke Cairney switched to Poole Town.

The Crusaders brought in a host of new signings in an attempt to replace the almost irreplacable but goalkeeper Marcus Beauchamp, signed from Salisbury, left before the season even started and became the first of a succession of stoppers to bounce in and out of Bulipt Lane in a matter of weeks.

There were positive signs in pre-season but the Crusaders were beaten 1-0 at home to Concord Rangers on the opening day in August and failed to score in their first three games, a sign of what was to come.

Hungerford picked up their first three points of the campaign at the fourth time of asking as goals from Joel Rollinson and Rhys Tyler helped the Crusaders to a 2-0 win over Eastbourne Borough.

Since then wins, and goals, have been few and far between, Town beating Bath City 3-2 in October and Slough 2-1 last month but falling deeper into trouble as a run of results continued to elude them.

It's not all been doom and gloom, the Crusaders have been competitive in every game this season with the exception of a 4-1 defeat to Havant and Waterlooville and the recent loan signing of striker Dan Roberts has improved the team's fortunes in front of goal.

Hungerford might well need a miracle, but miracles do happen.