Home»All Photographs»Dartford FC 2016-17»Hungerford Town v Dartford

Good Friday, 14 April 2017. Hungerford Town win 2:0.

In 2016 Hungerford Town won promotion to the Vanarama National League South, their highest position in 130 years. Their ground is Bulpit Lane, Hungerford. It has recently had a new seated stand installed. However, the pitch was rock hard and seemingly unwatered. Both goal areas looked like a sandy beach with the tide out. There was so much aerial football, I thought they were collecting air miles. A style suited to their ground, with kicking long the only play possible and an advantage to the home club.

Dartford conceded just 30 seconds into the second half, after a good first half performance. Their Manager, Bobby Wilkinson seemed unaware of the purpose of a technical area and stood on the touchline for most of the match. Tempers boiled over in the closing stages. Ronnie Vint was booked after sliding in to challenge Goodger and a heated exchange followed between Burman and his opposite number, Bobby Wilkinson, with the Hungerford manager calling for Vint to be sent off.

Hungerford: Ward, Tyler, Jones (Thomas 53mins), Boardman, Day, Williams, Clark, Rees, S Brown (Goodger 77mins), Bentley (Meechan 82mins), Soares. Subs not used: O'Brien, Lynch.

Dartford: Ibrahim, Harris, Wynter, Bonner, Vint, A Brown, Noble (Hayes 69mins), Bradbrook, Pugh, Pavey (Wanadio 82mins), Murphy. Subs not used: Seixas, Coxall.
Attendance: 522.

Hungerford seems like a pretty town with picturesque old buildings and lots of antique shops and pubs. In 1987, Hungerford was the scene of a mass shooting when Michael Ryan fatally shot 16 people and wounded 15 more before committing suicide. A memorial plaque is at the entrance to the park adjacent to the football ground.