Match Report: Hungerford Town 5-1 Exmouth Town

A heavily depleted Exmouth Town were beaten 5-1 away at Bulpit Park, by a ruthless Hungerford Town side, in horrible conditions.

With only 13 players available, Town found themselves three goals down after thirty minutes, before a superb Callum Shipton strike cut the deficit.

The visitors would continue to fight to get back into the game, but eventually the Crusaders wrestled back control to score two late goals.

Exmouth would have an effort to start the game, as Denny received the ball on the edge of the box before firing over.

Hungerford would get ahead early on, as an excellent ball in the back post was finished by George Alston.

It should have been two moments later, as Owen Smith failed to convert a rebound from close range.

Town would have a golden chance to equalise the game, as a free kick dropped perfectly for Owen Johnson, but his low effort was saved by Ryan Clarke.

30 seconds later, James Clark would double the lead as he tucked the ball away from close range.

It went from bad to worse for Town, as Alex Cairo was forced to withdraw due to injury, meaning Exmouth were forced to turn to half of their bench after 25 minutes.

It then went from bad to worse to even worse, as the visitors made it three following a quick break leading to Alston getting his second of the game.

Town had not been bad, and managed to claw themselves back into the game as a corner came out to Shipton on the edge of the box, and he blasted the ball home.

Exmouth continued their momentum into the second half, and created chaos in the Crusaders box from a corner, but they were unable to squeeze the ball in.

The away side continued to press for a second goal, and Ethan Slater headed wide from a corner.

Nnams Nwachuku caused plenty of problems for the Town defence, and he had an effort on goal after beating Joe Belsten, but it was not to be for the striker.

Aarron Denny looked to get that vital second goal, and he came close as his first-time shot rattled the crossbar from the edge of the box.

Exmouth’s lack of numbers showed itself in the end, as Brad Smith added a fourth, with his neat left foot finish beating Matt Wonnacott.

Heads dropped, and Hungerford capitalised as Nwachuku got a deserved goal to round off his afternoon, firing in at the near post.

It was a tough afternoon for Exmouth, with the relentless rain and lack of luck giving Town a mountain to climb against a very good Hungerford side.