Billy Osborn scored a dramatic late winner to seal a 2-1 victory over Barnstaple Town at the KMM Energy Stadium on Saturday.
Louis Manning’s first half penalty and Osborn’s 93rd minute winner saw the Acorns extend their home unbeaten run to five games in this Southern League Div One South clash.
The Acorns made just one change from Tuesday night’s defeat seeing Noah Coates return to the starting line-up.
Morgan Ewing sent a volleyed effort just wide, inside the opening minute of the game, after meeting a deep cross.
But it was Barnstaple who broke the deadlock on eight minutes, with Oscar Knight rolling home on the angle.
Nathan Jenkins could only glance a header from close range wide, on 12 minutes, following an inviting Louis Manning cross.
Luke Mortimore flicked a volleyed effort past the near post for Barum on 15 minutes.
Within the space of a minute, both Billy Osborn and Manning drag efforts inches past the far post after being placed through on goal, as we entered the 20th minute.
Jenkins had a strike from distance but saw his effort claimed by the Barum goalkeeper, James Hamon on 24 minutes.
The Acorns found the leveller on 27 minutes when, after winning the penalty, Manning stepped up to pick out the bottom right corner sending the teams into the break all square.
HALF TIME – HARTPURY FC 1-1 BARNSTAPLE TOWN
Seth Locke produced a fantastic reaction save to divert a well struck Brodie Montague volley over the bar, four minutes into the new half.
The Acorns should’ve been ahead on 52 minutes if not for a point-blank range save from Hamon denying a Coates flicked effort from six-yards.
Ewing got into a scoring position once more on 58 minutes, when he headed a Manning cross towards goal, but Hamon was there to stop it.
Barnstaple saw a rare opportunity on 70 minutes when Alex Moyse blazed an effort the bar from 18-yards.
Manning was sent through on goal, on 71 minutes, before unleashing a low driven strike towards goal which was beaten away by the Barum goalkeeper again.
10 minutes later Jenkins tried an outside of the boot curler which was well held onto by Harmon.
Montague thought he had won the game for Barnstaple on 85 minutes when he had the ball in the net, but the goal was chalked off for a high boot on Locke.
The Acorns threw everything at the Barum to win the game late on, with Kian Davies having a distanced effort saved by Harmon.
And that pressure all paid off in the third minute of added time when Osborn pounced on a defensive error before rounding the goalkeeper and walking the ball into an empty net.
Locke had to make sure the three points were staying with the Acorns, when he got down smartly to beat away a Barnstaple effort in the 96th minute.
The Acorns return swiftly to action on Tuesday night, as we make the trip to Tiverton Town in the Southern League Div One South.
FULL TIME – HARTPURY FC 2-1 BARNSTAPLE TOWN
STARTING XI: Locke (GK), Kent (Silva 79’), Robinson, McGregor, Roney, Jenkins, Davies, Coates (Aldridge 64’), Manning, Ewing, Osborn ©
UNUSED SUBS: Callow, Knowles, Symons
Written by Sam Yapp
