Relentless Oxford hurt Hungerford
It’s a second straight league defeat for the first-time this season
HUNGERFORD Town suffered a second successive National League South defeat on Tuesday as Oxford City came away with a 4-1 win at Bulpit Lane.
City forward James Roberts scored a brace for the visitors, while Josh Ashby and Elliot Benyon also netted.
Matt Partridge did score for Town, but Danny Robinson’s side were blown away by a strong Oxford side.
The visitors made the brighter start when Benyon forced Town keeper Luke Cairney into an early save.
City’s pressure was rewarded as Roberts took advantage of some poor defending after just 10 minutes to calmly slot the ball past Cairney.
Hungerford continued to weather the storm and, after they did, they found a way back into the contest.
A Ryan Seager free-kick was too hot for keeper Ben Dudzinksi to handle and Crusaders defender Partridge was quickest to pounce on the loose ball and fire home.
However, minutes before the interval, City restored their twogoal lead as Roberts was the first to react when a shot was parried by Cairney.
The Oxford forward had no hesitation and calmly fired the ball into an empty net to hand his
Pictures: PHIL CANNINGS
side a 2-1 lead at the half-time stage.
The visitors extended their advantage 10 minutes into the second-half, as Partridge was deemed to have fouled an opponent in the penalty area.
From the resulting spot kick, Josh Ashby tucked the ball into the bottom left-hand corner and out of reach of Crusaders keeper Cairney.
Oxford added a fourth five minutes before the end as Benyon latched on to a cross and beat Cairney inside the penalty area.
On Saturday, Town host Dulwich Hamlet at Bulpit Lane, with supporters allowed in for the first time this season.