Hampton & Richmond Borough FC are now officially the most in-form team in the country, as they continued their impressive run with a 1-0 victory over Poole Town - their thirteenth game unbeaten in the league.
Loanee Adam Coombes scored the goal which led to Hampton’s sixth league win in a row, propelling the club into fifth position in the Vanarama National League South.
Manager Alan Dowson put the run down to the hard work of the players, saying: “The work they put in for each other is incredible at the minute. They should be really proud.”
Coach Martin Tyler believed the FA Cup defeat at the hands of Truro City in October was equally significant. He said: “It really helped that we could focus on the league. We were eighteenth then and we’re fifth now, so we’ve had a fantastic time.”
The team’s collective spirit has been vital during this period, but today it was a new face who proved the difference between the sides; Coombes’s diving header just after the break enough to win the game for the Beavers.
The goalscorer signed on loan from Sutton United yesterday, and seemed to fit in straight away. His link-up play with Brendan Kiernan and fellow Sutton loanee Bradley Hudson-Odoi provided the main goal threat in a first half with few genuine opportunities. And on 48 minutes Coombes got the breakthrough, stooping low at the near post to meet Hudson-Odoi’s cross from the left.
Although Dowson claimed Coombes is not yet match fit, he looked dangerous in his 82 minutes on the pitch. The Hampton manager added: “I thought his first half performance was very good. I thought he scored a good goal, and we just need a little bit of work on his fitness.”
Coombes will steal the headlines for his match-winning contribution, but the star performer today was midfielder Christian Jolley. The box-to-box midfielder controlled the middle of the park with his tough tackling and driving runs, and got the praise he deserved from his manager at the final whistle: “I wouldn’t swap him for anybody. I think he’s absolutely unique.”
After a week in which Dan Sweeney and Malachi Napa returned to their parent clubs, the first half had a distinct lack of clear-cut opportunities. Despite enjoying the bulk of the possession and attacking play, the best chance of the half fell to the away side on 38 minutes, when Poole captain Jamie Whisken’s low drive on the turn forced a smart stop from Hampton goalkeeper Sam Howes, who was announced player of the month before kick-off.
Hampton upped things after the break, and it took just three minutes for them to take the lead through Coombes. It was well-deserved, and as the half wore on Poole got more and more frustrated as the home side began to play with confidence. Max Kretzshmar and Shaun McAuley had chances to seal the victory, but in the end, it was Coombes who proved the vital difference.
