Billy Osborn’s second half goal earned Hartpury FC their first win of pre-season defeating Corsham Town 1-0 at Southbank, on Friday.
Osborn’s punishing finish proved to be the deciding factor in an evenly contested affair against our Hellenic League Premier opposition.
As they’d done for the majority of pre-season, the Acorns started positively, with Nathan Jenkins seeing a low driven effort well-turned behind inside three minutes.
Josh Roney went close on nine minutes, when his poked effort deflected onto the post, following a Louis Manning lofted ball over the top found Sol Kent to force the corner.
The game evened out following this, until Jenkins’ effort from 20-yards stung the palms of the Corsham goalkeeper, on 32 minutes.
The Acorns ended the half with two close chances when Roney had a flicked effort turned behind, before Noah Coates saw a headed effort cleared off the line.
HALF TIME – CORSHAM TOWN 0-0 HARTPURY FC
Corsham’s best chance of the game came on 50 minutes a when a low effort skipped across the face of goal.
The Acorns grew in confidence during the opening exchanges of the second period, with Manning seeing a fierce effort rise over the bar on 53 minutes before George Sims and Joao Silva had efforts smothered by the Corsham goalkeeper minutes later.
The Quarrymen gave the Acorns a scare on 64 minutes, when a deep corner met the boot of a Corsham player, but his effort luckily looped over the bar.
Another scare came on 68 minutes when a dangerous free-kick flew just over the bar.
But the Acorns broke the deadlock on 74 minutes when Corsham failed to play out from the back and Manning slid the ball across to Osborn, who rolled the ball home into an empty net.
Jenkins tried a first timed effort on 86 minutes, and Manning attempted a driven shot on 87 minutes, but both saw their efforts rise over the bar.
Osborn’s goal was enough to secure a well-earned pre-season victory, as the Acorns prepare for their final pre-season outing against Milton Keynes Irish next Saturday.
FULL TIME – CORSHAM TOWN 0-1 HARTPURY FC
STARTING XI: Locke (GK), Kent, Roney, Waters (Sims 46’), Robinson (Sanniola 62’), Silva (Cherchi 66’), Coates, Jenkins, Preston (Davies 66’), Manning, Osborn © (Allen 77’)
Written by Sam Yapp
