Hartpury advance in FA Trophy after impressive display against Exmouth Town

Hartpury came from behind to beat Exmouth Town 4-1 to advance into the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy.

Playing at their temporary home, Gloucester City’s KMM Energy Stadium, for the first time, the hosts went behind on 13 minutes before goal from Kian Davies and Morgan Ewing had the Acorns ahead at the break.

Second half efforts from Louis Manning and substitute Billy Osborn to ensure safe passage into the next round and maintained Hartpury’s record of being undefeated in the competitions in 90 minutes – with their only defeat coming on penalties against Gloucester City last season.

Hartpury will now await to find out their opposition in the Second Qualifying Round and have another week without action due to their Bank Holiday Monday game being re-scheduled due to clashing with City’s home game with Evesham United.

It means Hartpury are not back in action until their trip to Paulton Rovers next Saturday.

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Exmouth nearly took the lead on 4 minutes when they were awarded a penalty following a challenge from Cameron Walters – however Seth Locke guessed right and kept out Matthew Wright’s spotkick.

But Locke could do nothing to prevent Benjamin Steer from lobbing him beautifully after beating the offisde trap less than 10 minutes later.

Chris Knowles’ side weren’t behind for too long though, with Kian Davies making a great third man run into the box before firing under Matthew Wonnacott.

The leveller sparked Hartpury into life, with Louis Manning stinging the palms of Wonnacott moments later, before Manning’s drilled cross from the right was pushed out by Wonnacott for Morgan Ewing to tap home from close range to turn the scoreline around.

From there Hartpury were the side in the ascendancy and Wonnacott again did well to keep out Manning after he had chopped inside at the back post.

In first half stoppage time Nathan Jenkins got forward for his side, but his ball across goal agonisingly was just too strong for Keon Sanniola who was sliding in from the left.

Steer came close to his second just after the break, but his dipping volley crashed off the Hartpury crossbar – with Hartpury then going close to a third down the other end but after Ewing’s effort was blocked, substitute Billy Osborn could only hook over.

Jenkins was denied twice by Wonnacott just before the hour mark, before Sanniola’s cross was turned past the keeper by Osborn after a neat turn at the near post.

Manning added a fourth with just under twenty minutes to go as he raced through on goal, rounded Wonnacott and slotted home to seal the deal for his side.

Hartpury thoroughly deserved the victory on the day and after the game Knowles said he was “very pleased” but admitted his side still had another couple of gears to find.

The Acorns were able to get decent minutes into Connor Callow as the centre back continues his return to fitness – with Riley McGregor a more than capable stand in at the back.

September is a big month for Hartpury, which concludes with a trip to Bishops Cleeve – but they know that following their trip to Paulton next weekend they are back in FA Trophy action.

Hartpury: Locke, Kent, Robinson, McGregor, Walters, Davies, Ewing, Aldridge, Manning, Jenkins, Sanniola

Subs: Osborn, Preston, Callow, Pevide, Symons

Exmouth Town: Wonnacott, Belstein, Johnson, Knowles, Morison, Edwards, Shipton, Steer, Cairo, Rowe, Wright

Subs: Denny, High, Bath, Slater, Harris

C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Kian Davies (Hartpury)