Hartpury FC cruised to a stunning 4-1 victory over joint-league leaders Swindon Supermarine on Saturday, at the KMM Energy Stadium.
Nathan Jenkins, Drew Robinson, Cameron Walters and Billy Osborn were all on target, as the Acorns entered the play-off positions with back-to-back wins in the Southern League Div One South.
It was an unchanged side for the Acorns, taking on the Spitfires, following our impressive victory at Westbury United on Tuesday night.
The Acorns started quick, seeing their opening opportunity of the game fall in the third minute when Morgan Ewing aimed to high from close range, following a Osborn cut back pass.
Noah Coates had the chance to make it 1-0 on 10 minutes, but he directed a low effort the wrong side of the post from just inside area, following a slipped pass by Louis Manning.
Moments later, Jenkins took aim from range, but his effort skipped into the hands of Joel Halliday, in the Spitfires goal.
But that early pressure paid dividend when Jenkins picked out the top right corner with a sweetly struck volley, from just inside the area, giving the Acorns a deserved lead on 16 minutes.
Ewing saw another opportunity present itself on 29 minutes, when a half cleared cross fell to him to strike, but his effort skipped past the post.
The chances were coming in abundance for the Acorns when Osborn saw an effort hooked off the line on 32 minutes, before Jenkins saw an effort fly over moments later.
But the Acorns did double their lead on 35 minutes, when Robinson was played through by Jenkins before coolly slotting the ball past an onrushing goalkeeper.
It was all Hartpury in the first forty-five, who played with the wind during a stormy first period seeing the Acorns lead at the break.
HALF TIME – HARTPURY FC 2-0 SWINDON SUPERMARINE
The Acorns made an outstanding start to the second half when Walters acrobatically volleyed home from a Manning corner to further extend the Acorns lead, on 55 minutes.
But Supermarine clawed one back just five minutes later through a low driven Tyger Hall effort.
Ewing saw a curling effort well saved by Halliday on 61 minutes, before Halliday denied Osborn’s low driven effort just four minutes later.
The Acorns did wrap up all the points on 79 minutes when Rory Preston’s delicate outside of the boot cross was met by a sliding Osborn, who fired high into the goal.
Osborn should’ve added a fifth for the Acorns when he went through on goal, on 93 minutes, but his effort was lifted to high and flew over the bar.
That didn’t matter however, as the damage was already done and the Acorns made it back-to-back wins and six-games unbeaten on home soil this season.
A deserved break awaits the Acorns now, as we return to the 4ED Hartpury Stadium next Saturday to face Shaftesbury.
FULL TIME – HARTPURY FC 4-1 SWINDON SUPERMARINE
STARTING XI: Locke (GK), Kent, Robinson, McGregor, Walters, Davies (Aldridge 84’) , Jenkins, Coates, Ewing (Hyett 89’), Manning (Preston 75’), Osborn ©
UNUSED SUBS: Sanniola, Symons
SUPERMARINE XI: J. Halliday (GK), Z. Rugman, T. Changa, T. Moulder, J. Partridge, J. Shepard, S. Abubakar, B. Hooper, D. Warre ©, C. Lynch, T. Hall
SUPERMARINE BENCH: J. Bancroft, M. Lewis, L. Wilkinson, M. Ferguson, J. Edge
Written by Sam Yapp
