Hartpury FC picked up their first away win of the season, on Tuesday night, defeating Sporting Club Inkberrow 2-0 at Sands Road.
Nathan Jenkins and Louis Manning struck home in each half securing all three points in this Southern League Div One South match-up.
The Acorns yet again named an unchanged side for the game but saw Cameron Walters return to bench, following a stint out injured, and Alex Parsons join up with the squad for a potential debut.
It was an even start to proceedings with the Acorns going closet on nine minutes when Manning saw a close ranged effort well saved by Brendon Bunn, in the Eagles goal.
Questions were raised of a hand denying a Josh Roney close ranged volley, on 12 minutes, but the referee waved it a way before Kian Davies fired an effort straight at Bunn on the follow up.
The game was being controlled by the Acorns past that point, and the pressure drew a foul in the area on 28 minutes, when Morgan Ewing was bundled over.
But Bunn had other ideas in the Eagles goal, as he got down to his right to deny Manning’s spot kick keeping the score deadlocked.
Jenkins went close on 37 minutes when he dragged an effort across the face of goal following a quick break away with Noah Coates.
Jenkins didn’t have to wait long for another chance, as two minutes later he lofted an effort, over a stranded Bunn, into the top right corner following an inch perfect long ball by Roney.
Davies forced Bunn into a stretching save with a curling effort from 18-yards, towards the end of the first half, but the Acorns did take a deserved lead into the half time break.
HALF TIME – SPORTING CLUB INKBERROW 0-1 HARTPURY FC
Inkberrow came out with a little bit of fight in the second half and went close on 47 minutes but saw a headed effort cleared off the goal line by Jenkins.
The Eagles job of getting back in the game was made harder on 65 minutes when Kartell Dawkins picked a second yellow for a challenge on Manning, leading to his early shower.
The Acorns first attempt of the new half fell on 68 minutes when Jenkins saw a low effort, on the angle, cannon back off the post.
Jenkins almost turned provider when he fed through Billy Osborn who attempted to lift an effort over the on-rushing Bunn, but his effort bounced wide of the post on 74 minutes.
Manning struck low from 20-yards, on 80 minutes, but saw his effort well beaten away by Bunn.
Six minutes later, Manning made sure of all the points for the Acorns, when he latched on to an Osborn through ball before firing high past Bunn from just inside the area.
Parsons was handed his Acorns debut during stoppage time when he replaced captain, Osborn.
The Acorns could’ve had a third in the 91st minute but Rory Preston’s driven effort from inside the area rose to high over the bar.
That didn’t matter though, as the Acorns secured just their second win in October and their second clean sheet of the season.
The Acorns will be looking to build on this positive result, as we head to Exmouth Town on Saturday.
FULL TIME – SPORTING CLUB INKBERROW 0-2 HARTPURY FC
STARTING XI: Locke (GK), Kent, Robinson (Walters 84’), McGregor, Roney, Davies, Jenkins, Coates, Ewing, Manning (Preston 87’), Osborn © (Parsons 90+1’)
UNUSED SUBS: Aldridge, Symons
INKBERROW XI: B. Bunn (GK), J. Brighton, N. Benson, G. Guy ©, B. Coughlin, L. Bastable, C. Stanley, K. Dawkins, A. Clark, J. Higgins-Pugsley, Z. Powell
INKBERROW BENCH: A. Griffiths, T. Emblem, J. Hurdman, P. Walton, J. Waterfield
RED CARD: Kartell Dawkins (65’) – Sporting Club Inkberrow
ATTENDANCE: 113
Written by Sam Yapp
