Monday night football returned for Weston-super-Mare, with their second away trip in just three days. The trip saw an unlucky Seagulls lose to a battling Hungerford, who now move into the Playoffs.
Weston were the first side to threaten, with their first chance of note resulting in opening up the scoring. Danny Greenslade’s long throw into the box wasn’t cleared by a Hungerford defender, with Brad Ash readjusting his feet well to hook home his 11th league goal this season, just 8 minutes in.
The Seagulls continued to use the slope to their advantage in the first half, with a long goal-kick being missed by Crusaders centre-back Jon Boardman, but the lively Ash could only drag his resulting shot wide.
Weston almost grabbed a second on the 18th minute mark when Ash beat keeper Lewis Ward to the ball, before laying it back to strike partner Jake Reid. Reid’s shot was cleared up and off the line by Boardman, with captain Dayle Grubb heading the rebound wide.
Hungerford got their first sight of goal ten minutes before half-time when Nat Jarvis cut inside from the right and forced a diving save from Purnell, with Weston going into the break 1-0 up.
James Clark blazed a 25-yard free-kick high and wide over the bar less than a minute after the restart, with Reid curling narrowly wide ten minutes later.
Weston had a golden chance to double their lead midway through the second period, but Ash could only nod his downward header onto the bar to watch it deflect over from an accurately placed Jason Pope cross.
Hungerford found the target with 67 minutes on the clock when a long throw from Ian Herring was flicked on by Boardman. Crusaders captain Matty Day was there, and levelled the scores at one apiece.
Hungerford took the lead a few minutes later after drawing level when former Weston loanee Tom Meechan got himself in between Rollin Menayese and Greenslade, with the latter being judged to bring the striker to the floor. Stefan Brown then did the honours from the spot and slotted home for 2-1 Hungerford.
FT: Hungerford 2-1 Weston (Day 67, Brown 72-Ash 9)
Weston XI: Purnell, Pope, Greenslade, Humphries, Baldwin, Menayese, Lee, Cane, Ash (Chamberlain 81), Grubb (Capt), Reid (Hill 81). Unused substitutes: Kington, Chemlal, Laird.
MOTM: Danny Greenslade