TUFC 0
Hungerford 1
(Leigh-Gilchrist 90′)
An injury-time winner for the visitors failed to spoil the party at Plainmoor, as United lifted the National League South championship in front of a record-breaking attendance of 5,351.
In a game that United dominated for long periods, they were punished for a lack of conviction in front of goal by substitute Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist’s late, late strike.
Manager Gary Johnson made one change to the starting line-up that lost to Chippenham on Good Friday, with Ryan Dickson replacing Jamie Sendles-White.
With every member of the Yellow Army issued with a gold flag as part of the celebrations, the stage was set for Plainmoor to welcome it’s first league champions since Percy Mackrill’s side secured the 1926/27 Southern League title.
Time and again United made in-roads into the Hungerford box, with Reid particularly unlucky not to grab a first-half hat-trick. Two shots went agonisingly wide, whilst the other, an audacious flick over the goalkeeper, cannoned off the bar.
When visiting ‘keeper Luyambula was called into action, he was equal to it, particularly when producing a marvellous double save on the half-hour, with Cameron and Dickson both denied.
The chances for United didn’t flow quite so freely in the second half, although a wonderful run from Kalala twelve minutes from time just required Koszela’s finishing touch, however a combination of Town defenders saw the ball scrambled away.
Hungerford got the ultimate reward for their bravery in injury time, as Leigh-Gilchrist took the ball past a number of defenders before firing past MacDonald to secure all three points.
The main event though, was arguably about to begin, and a National League South record attendance of 5,351 stayed behind as United’s champions were led back onto the field to receive their medals. The noise generated by Johnson’s arrival out of the tunnel was only fitting for a man who has, in seven short months, rebooted the club’s ambitions.
As captain Asa Hall, bedecked with medal around neck, lifted the championship trophy in front of their adoring Yellow Army, it was a moment to savour, and one that no-one present inside Plainmoor will ever forget.
Thank you for being a part of it.
TUFC: 1. Shaun MacDonald, 2. Ben Wynter, 3. Liam Davis, 11. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 14. Frank Vincent, (12. Opi Edwards 74′) 15. Jean-Yves Koue Niate, 16. Ryan Dickson (7. Olaf Koszela), 17. Kyle Cameron (c), 18. Jake Andrews, 19. Jamie Reid, 20. Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala. SUBS NOT USED: 6. Jamie Sendles-White, 8. Asa Hall, 13. George Burton.
Yellow Card: Davis (40′). Vincent (41′)
Hungerford Town: 1. Michael Luyambula, 2. Marcus Johnson-Schuster, Noah Chesmain, 4. Mike Jones, 5. Marvel Ekpiteta, 6. James Rusby, 7. Cameron Hargreaves, 8. Alfy Whittingham, 9. Danilo Orsi-Dadomo (12. Conor Lynch 77′), 10. Charlie Ten-Grotenhuis, 11. Darren Foxley (14. Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist). SUBS NOT USED: 13. Tommy Rees, 15. Dan Bailey, 16. Tommy Ouldridge.
Yellow Card: Jones (52’)
Attendance: 5,341 (54 away)