Hartpury FC produced a resilient performance to secure a 2-1 victory over Swindon Supermarine on Saturday, despite being reduced to nine-men.
Louis Manning’s brace, at the Imagine Cruising Stadium, saw the Acorns return to winning ways in the Southern League Div One South.
The Acorns had the first effort of the game, but Nathan Jenkins’ volleyed effort skipped wide of the mark on seven minutes.
Straight down the other end, Tawana Changa sent a driven effort just over the Acorns bar for the hosts.
Vanylson Silva struck a dipping effort at Supermarine goalkeeper, Luke Purnell on nine minutes, before Seth Locke was called into action to deny Brad Hooper two minutes later.
Riley McGregor was next up to test Purnell with a driven, left-footed effort, but saw the shot well held by the Spitfires’ shot stopper.
The Acorns were delt a blow on 22 minutes when was shown a straight red card.
Supermarine built the pressure and the Acorns required a fantastic goal line clearance from Noah Coates, to keep the game deadlocked on 35 minutes.
And that clearance sparked life into the Acorns who broke the deadlock on 40 minutes, when Billy Osborn fed through Manning who calmly lifted the ball into the far corner.
HALF TIME – SWINDON SUPERMARINE 0-1 HARTPURY FC
Jenkins lifted an effort just over the bar on 53 minutes, after nutmegging his marker on the turn.
Supermarine equalised on the hour mark when Sal Abubakar picked out the top right corner from just inside the area.
Silva went close from a free-kick, on 66 minutes, but saw the effort beaten away from the top corner.
Locke was on hand to again to deny Hooper’s driven effort from close range, on 65 minutes.
The job got made just a little bit harder for the Acorns, when they were reduced to nine men with Osborn shown to the changing room, on 69 minutes.
But just two minutes later, Manning had the Acorns back in front when he latched onto a missed Jenkins’ cross to turn home from close range.
Supermarine tried their best to get back level late on but were denied their best opportunity by a fantastic block by Josh Roney, on 90 minutes, securing a huge three points on the road.
The Acorns return to the 4ED Hartpury Stadium on Good Friday, as we welcome Bideford AFC.
FULL TIME – SWINDON SUPERMARINE 1-2 HARTPURY FC
STARTING XI: Locke (GK) Kent, Silva (Shyamapant 90+1’), Roney, Sims (Aldridge 34’), McGregor, Jenkins, Manning (Sanniola 85’), Prifti, Coates, Osborn ©
UNUSED SUBS: Knowles, Symons
