Hartley Wintney secure their league status after defeating Truro
THINGS might not have gone their way on Easter Monday, but Hartley Wintney secured their Southern League Premier South status for another season with a 4-1 win at home to Truro City on Saturday.
The Row’s win against the play-off chasers was comfortable in the end and thanks to a second half hat trick from young striker Lucias Vine.
Hartley Wintney boss Anthony Millerick was pleased with both the performance and the result.
“I felt this was a really good performance against a good team,” he said. “We are delighted, of course, to have scored four goals.
“Our front pairing of Adam Allen and Lucias Vine gave good accounts and looked a threat for the whole match. Lucias took his goals well.
“Toby Nevile has impressed in the time he has been with us and scored with a good header from a corner.
“I’m also pleased of course that we are now officially safe from relegation.”
The White Tigers roared off to a good start when they scored with their first attack. Rocky Neal got free inside the penalty area before being upended by Matt Drage. Neal earned his stripes by taking the resulting penalty kick and scoring comfortably.
Hartley responded well and Christos Papakonstantinou’s pass inside found Adam Allen who was unlucky to see his shot blocked.
Play moved from end to end and on 11 minutes a cross from the right by Niall Thompson for City gave Alex Battle an opportunity and his parting shot was saved by a well positioned Luke Williams in the Hartley goal. The visitors continued to be on the prowl in the Hartley half and a corner by Matt Burgess on 19 minutes saw Will Dean head over. The Row had a good spell during the midpoint of the half and pulled level on 27 minutes. A corner from Harry Cooksley on the left saw Toby Nevile rise highest and head home for 1-1.
Truro responded with a spell of pressure but without testing Williams in the Hartley goal. Vine created space for himself on 33 minutes and saw his effort from 25 yards saved by a well-positioned James Hamon in the Truro goal.
The White Tigers started the second period well, showing more bite in their attacks. However, the Row survived a number of cross balls and started to gain the ascendancy.
On 49 minutes Vine combined well with Allen and the latter brought out a good save.
Hartley continued to press and went ahead on 60 minutes. An initial corner was cleared and Allen fed Cooksley his pass found Vine who created space before shooting home for 2-1.
Truro built up a number of promising inter passing moves but the final incisive pass eluded them. Hartley started to look more threatening and on 73 minutes went further ahead. A cross from Kofi Halliday found Allen who laid the ball into the path of Vine who forced the ball home.
The White Tigers had a spell where they tried to claw their way back into the match but the Row defence held firm.
Approaching the last 10 minutes the White Tigers looked tamed as Hartley added a fourth goal. A long ball from Josh Webb was well controlled by Sam Argent whose audacious back heel sent Vine through on goal. The Row striker’s fierce shot was partially stopped by Hamon but the keeper was unable to recover to prevent the ball entering the net.