Hartpury maintain good start with controlled win at Tuffley

Hartpury University made it back-to-back wins in the league, on Tuesday night, with a controlled display in their 2-0 win over Tuffley Rovers.

Riley McGregor’s injury time penalty added to a Luke Salter header to give the Acorns the points, following a goalless first half.

Their second half display would have pleased their Manager, Martin Longworth, with the visitors dominating possession and making life as hard as possible for a resilient Tuffley side.

The win takes Hartpury up to 6th in the Hellenic Premier table and even though it is still early days to the season, they continue a good start which has seen them win their last three in all competitions – keeping four clean sheets in their six games so far this campaign.

League-wise, they have now won back-to-back games without conceding since their 1-0 defeat at Slimbridge 10 days ago.

For Tuffley, they will be disappointed not to have built on Saturday’s win over Hereford Pegasus, but will also know if they continue to create chances like they did in the first half – then they will score goals.

Rovers started with George Weaver in goal, making his Hellenic Premier debut in place of an injured Luke Merchant and Weaver was called into action inside the first minute – making a great one-on-one stop to deny McGregor.

Billy Osborn was played in down the right side of the box moments later, but he skied his effort, before Cheick Kone’s looping header was well held by Weaver.

From there the game became very end-to-end, with Connor Walters testing Ryan Smallwood with a fizzing effort for Tuffley, before both sides had dangerous crosses just about dealt with.

Tuffley were dealt a blow just on the half hour mark, as Warren Mann pulled up with a hamstring injury. After coming back on to let substitute Sammie Hicks get ready, Mann limped off and could now miss the Bank Holiday Monday showdown with Longlevens.

The best chance of the half fell Tuffley’s way, with Karnell Chambers getting onto a loose back pass but as he rounded Smallwood, went too wide and fired over whilst trying to keep his balance.

Moments later, a free kick into the Hartpury box was headed just wide by Mark Pritchett, as Tuffley started to really test the visitors.

At the break Hartpury introduced Louis Manning, in place of Osborn, and it was his cross that was whipped in perfectly for Luke Salter to head home at the back post.

And the goal brought a calmness to Hartpury, with the visitors looking for the second, whilst suffocating the game to manage the result.

Weaver denied McGregor once again as Hartpury broke from a Tuffley corner, before a second was ruled out for a foul in the box as a corner came in.

Renato Prifti entered the field with just over 20 minutes to go and he proved to be a real handful, creating a number of chances and even firing over himself – as the Acorns went in search of the crucial second goal.

Tuffley introduced Tyrel Roberts and Matt Lee to try and force a response, but found Hartpury too strong to break down – with centre backs Josh Roney and George Sims clearing everything.

Rovers’ best chance of the half saw Smallwood slice a clearance straight to Kieran Alder, about 35 yards out and Alder laid the ball right to Karnell Chambers – with his ball across the six yard box turned behind.

And as Hartpury looked set to see out a 1-0 win, Prifti was tripped in the box and McGregor stepped up to send Weaver the wrong way from 12 yards.

Both sides have this Saturday off, with Tuffley heading to Longlevens on Bank Holiday Monday for an early kick-off, whilst Hartpury head to a struggling Pershore Town.

Tuffley Rovers: Weaver, Mann, Clifford, Pritchett, Herbert, Turner, McGuirk, Alder, Chambers, Bevan, Walters

Subs: Hicks, Roberts, Lee, Smith, Clinton

Hartpury University: Smallwood, Kent, Robinson, Sims, Roney, Jenkins, Osborn, Towns, Kone, McGregor, Salter

Subs: Machisa, Kang, Prifti, Manning, Shyamapant

C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Nathan Jenkins & Jacob Towns (Hartpury University)

READ MORE: Check out the fixtures in and around Gloucestershire this Saturday right here