Hartpury FC made it three wins-in-a-row with a dominate 2-0 victory over playoff chasing Shaftesbury AFC at Cockrams, on Saturday.
Goals from Noah Coates and Louis Manning completed a perfect week for the Acorns, extending their unbeaten streak to five games in the Southern League Div One South.
A half chance fell the Acorns way inside five minutes when Billy Osborn just couldn’t get enough on a glanced effort to trouble the Shaftesbury goal.
A minute later, Vanylson Silva skipped a low effort inches past the post, after the Acorns caught Shaftesbury in possession.
The early pressure paid off on 18 minutes when Coates lashed home a loose ball at the back post, after Shaftesbury failed to clear a Sol Kent cross.
Nathan Jenkins saw a driven effort deflected over on 26 minutes, after bringing down a long ball fantastically in the area.
Jenkins tried his luck for distance with a curling effort, moments before the break, but it floated over sending the Acorns into the interval ahead.
HALF TIME – SHAFTESBURY AFC 0-1 HARTPURY FC
Shaftesbury started brightly in the second half when Lewis Morgan flashed a volleyed effort well wide on 47 minutes.
But that pressure went unrewarded as the Acorns doubled their lead when Manning lifted the ball over the Rockies goalkeeper following an inch perfect through ball from Osborn, on 60 minutes.
Moments later, Seth Locke was called into action producing a flying save to deny Shaftesbury a way back into the game.
The Acorns had the chance to add a third on 88 minutes when Tomos Shyamapant picked out Renato Prifti in the area, unmarked, but his effort was smothered by the goalkeeper.
Shaftesbury threw everything at the Acorns in search of a late fightback, but it wasn’t to be when Sam Kelly produced an incredible last ditch block, securing the three points and third successive clean sheet.
The Acorns will be hunting a fourth win on the bounce when we welcome Mousehole AFC to the 4ED Hartpury Stadium next Saturday.
FULL TIME – SHAFTESBURY AFC 0-2 HARTPURY FC
STARTING XI: Locke (GK), Kent, Robinson (Sanniola 83’), Callow, Kelly, Aldridge (Towns 64’), Jenkins, Silva, Manning (Prifti 86’), Coates, Osborn © (Shyamapant 79’)
UNUSED SUBS: Symons
