Darts hit back to sink Crusaders
HUNGERFORD slipped to a narrow defeat as two secondhalf strikes from Jacob Berkeley-Agypeong gave Dartford all three points, writes CIARAN MORRISON.
Ryan Seager deservedly put the hosts ahead after a brilliant firsthalf display, but Crusaders couldn’t build on that performance after the break.
To add to the pain of defeat, captain James Rusby was forced off injured 16 minutes into the game.
Mike Jones was also out of this top-of-the-table clash in National League South, with Rhys Tyler replacing the midfielder.
The hosts started on the front foot with Jordan Wynter going into the referee’s book only a minute into the contest for a foul on Callum Willmoth before Harrison Bayley side-footed an effort wide.
The Darts grew into the match. Jack Jebb’s free kick was no trouble for Luke Cairney, but he had to save Chris Dickson’s weak effort moments later.
Hungerford broke the deadlock just past the half-hour mark.
Cairney caught a Dartford corner and quickly set the Crusaders on the counter attack.
Craig Fasanmade beat the defender for pace and set up Seager, whose shot was saved well by keeper Ethan Wady, but the striker was fouled in the process of taking the shot by Gavin McCallum.
Seager stepped up and confidently dispatched the penalty into the corner.
Conor Essam missed a free header on goal for the visitors before Curtis Angell converted Matty Partridge’s cross at the other end, but was judged to have been offside.
The second period was a tight affair, but the introduction of Berkeley-Agypeong swung the game in Dartford’s favour.
The midfielder popped up with the equaliser on 63 minutes, meeting fellow sub Alfie Pavey’s header and firing home.
Then on 77 minutes BerkeleyAgypeong unleashed a long-range strike that beat Cairney.
Despite having three strikers for the final 10 minutes, Hungerford failed to test Chelsea loanee Wady in goal and slipped to their third defeat of the season.