Hartpury FC topped up their pre-season tank with a double header of games against Swindon Town U21 and Brimbscombe & Thrupp, on Tuesday.
It was more valuable minutes into the legs despite suffering narrow defeats in both fixtures, falling 2-1 late on against Swindon and only a spot kick could separate a 1-0 game against Brimscombe.
Riley McGregor netted the Acorns solo goal of the day, firing home from the penalty spot to originally equalise against Swindon.
HARTPURY FC V SWINDON TOWN U21
The Acorns started the game on the front foot, seeing two headed efforts from Josh Roney and McGregor cleared off the line and cannon back off the bar, inside five minutes.
The dominance continued on nine minutes when Louis Manning saw an effort from 18-yards dip over the bar, before he provided an inch perfect cross to Billy Osborn, but his lunging effort trickled past the post on 13 minutes.
Manning forced a smart low stop from the Robins shot stopper, five minutes later.
Osborn met an inviting Nathan Jenkins cross, but his diving effort was denied by a sprawling save from the Robins keeper on 40 minutes, before Noah Coates directed a close range effort just past the far post a minute later.
But it was Swindon who took a lead into the break when a deceiving headed effort nestled in the net, two minutes from the break.
HALF TIME – HARTPURY FC 0-1 SWINDON TOWN U21
Morgan Ewing broke free with the first attack of the new half, on 48 minutes, but the ball struggled to settle for the attacker and his effort skipped wide.
The heat began to make it difficult for both sides, but the Acorns had the chance to level from the spot on 76 minutes however, McGregor’s driven effort was well saved.
McGregor didn’t have to wait long to redeem himself, as he buried his next spot kick five minutes later, after Ewing was brought down by the keeper.
But Swindon denied the Acorns a draw with a late punishing finish on 88 minutes, sending the Acorns to Brimscombe in defeat.
FULL TIME – HARTPURY FC 1-2 SWINDON TOWN U21
BRIMBSCOMBE & THRUPP V HARTPURY FC
It was a slow start to proceedings before Joao Silva had the opening half chance on 13 minutes when his driving run was ended with a well blocked shot.
The White Lillies opened the evening’s scoring, on 25 minutes, from the spot.
Kian Davies had a sight of goal on 38 minutes from a free kick, but his bending effort was beaten away.
HALF TIME – BRIMSCOMBE & THRUPP 1-0 HARTPURY FC
The Acorns had a half chance on 53 minutes, to get back into the game, but Dan Hanson fired over from 20-yards, before the White Lillies saw a driven effort float just wide up the other end.
Davies tested the Thrupp goalkeeper again, on 69 minutes, when his whipped effort from the right side of the box was beaten away.
Both sides had late chances in the game with Davies striking a free kick low and wide, Thrupp bending an effort just over the bar and Oli Hines seeing a volleyed effort well blocked, all inside the final five minutes.
But it wasn’t to be for the Acorns in this evening match-up, as we ended the day with 120 more important minutes in the tank despite two testing defeats.
FULL TIME – BRIMSCOMBE & THRUPP 1-0 HARTPURY FC
STARTING XI v Swindon Town:
Locke (GK), Kent, Sims, Roney, Hearnden (Robinson 53’), McGregor, Jenkins, Manning (Cherchi 63’), Ewing, Coates, Osborn ©
UNSUSED SUBS: Preston, Silva, Davies, Kovacevic (GK)
STARTING XI v Brimscombe & Thrupp:
Kovacevic (GK), Smith (Hines 58’), Sanniola, Torres, Robinson, Hanson, Cherchi (Porteous 58’), Preston, Allen, Davies, Silva
Written by Sam Yapp
