Hartpury five wins from title after five star display against Pershore
Hartpury University moved to within five wins from the Hellenic Premier title after a clinical performance in their 5-1 win over Pershore Town on Tuesday night.
Playing in their game in hand over Roman Glass St George, Hartpury took a while to settle into the contest following a good start from the visitiors.
But Tomos Shyamapant’s opener eased the nerves, before a stunning double from Louis Manning had the Acorns comfortably ahead at half time.
Ben Baxter marked his 100th appearance for the club with a headed effort after the break, before picking out Shyamapant with a beautiful cross after Harlie Price had reduced arrears for the Plums.
The win sets Hartpury up for a busy March, starting with their FA Vase Quarter Final against Erith & Belvedere on Saturday.
For Pershore, they will feel like they will play a lot worse than that and pick up points. After a really good start from the visitors, they would have been shell-shocked to be 3-0 down after 21 minutes.
The Plums came up against a Hartpury side who simply clicked into gear and punished individual errors in impressive fashion.
The defeat leaves Pershore clinging on to their play-off hopes, especially as Highworth Town ran away 3-0 winners at Slimbridge.
Pershore are seven points outside the play-offs, with five games remaining. But knowing they need to play Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Highworth in those games, they will need to win all five, you feel, to stand a chance.
The game itself saw Pershore push Hartpury back and the hosts struggled to get out for the first 10 minutes.
Nathan Benson had an early effort saved by Stephen Sarkodie, but Benson’s ball in from the right was just too heavy for Price.
The former Brimscombe & Thrupp striker then fizzed a free kick through to Sarkodie on 10 minutes, before Hartpury took control.
Renato Prifti combined with Drew Robinson down the left, before the ball into the box was turned home by Shyamapant from close range.
One soon became two as Shyamapant chased a poor back pass and blocked Joe Stockton’s clearance, leaving Manning to curl the loose ball home from about 30 yards out.
Manning added his second and Hartpury’s third three minutes later after Prifti intercepted a pass midway through the Pershore half. The ball fell to Manning, who drove to the corner of the box and fired in off the far post.
Baxter nearly found himself in on goal just after the break, but a heavy touch saw the ball trickle through to Stockton.
Stockton then denied Prifti what would have been a great solo goal, after the Hartpury man had weaved past two or three defenders.
Bailey Fuller picked out James Baldwin with a delightful diagonal, but he couldn’t beat Sarkodie – who blocked well.
Luke Salter came on just after the hour mark and his first involvement was to swing a corner onto Baxter’s head and the winger guided the ball into the far corner.
The goal topped a great night for Baxter, who alongside celebrating his 100th appearance for the club, was awarded the Severn Sport Player of the Month for January.
Pershore did get a deserved goal with twenty minutes left, as a corner was nodded down for Price to flick home from a couple of yards out.
Baxter turned provider for the final goal of the night with quarter of an hour left, whipping a beautiful cross in from the left – with Shyamapant capping off a Man of the Match display by nodding home his second of the night.
With the FA Vase game and Marsh Challenge Cup games to come, Hartpury don’t return to league action until Tuesday 11 March, before games with Slimbridge, Highworth Town, Thornbury Town and Lydney Town this month.
Listen to Hartpury University Manager Martin Longworth and winger Ben Baxter on the returning Buttee’s For Breakfast this Saturday morning.
Hartpury University: Sarkodie, Farion, Robinson, Giles, Roney, Jenkins, Manning, Towns, Shyamapant, Prifti, Baxter
Subs: Kang, Salter, Kovacevic, Osborn, Reid
Pershore Town: Stockton, Monteith, Cooke, Douglas, Carsley, Morris, Fuller, Taylor-Randle, Price, Benson, Baldwin
Subs: Tonchev, Hussain, Ahmed, J Clark, A Clark
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Tomos Shyamapant (Hartpury University)
READ MORE: Check out the list of fixtures in and around Gloucestershire this Saturday right here
READ MORE: Check out the list of Sunday’s Women’s fixtures in and around Gloucestershire right here
