Fast start secures City the points

Two early Belmonte and Lockett goals plus a late finish from Elliott Hartley was enough to secure three points on Tuesday night as City overcame Hereford Pegasus.

The game should have been won in the first half with the amount of chances produced by the home side, but despite a late scare when Cawley Cox halved the deficit late on, Chris Cornes' men made sure of the points and sent the fans home happy.

Pre-match, Cornes kept the same back line as the starting side from the Rugby Borough FA Vase fixture, with Stoddart, Mace, Layton and Keightley in front of Haydn Whitcome. A change in midfield saw Robbie Thompson Brown replace Lorcan Sheehan, alongside Dinsley and Belmonte. Jamie Insall and Izak Reid dropped as Dylan Hart returned leading the line, with Saturday's hero Elliott Hartley earning a starting spot on the right, and Liam Lockett wide left.

It didn't take long for City to assert their dominance and after just two minutes it was 1-0. A fantastic finish from Belmonte, his second goal in two games, meant the perfect start for City, which was made even better on eight minutes when Liam Lockett doubled the advantage. Picking up the ball in a deeper position, Lockett turned playing a neat one-two with Belmonte whose excellent return ball in behind put Lockett one-on-one with goalkeeper Behan, and Lockett made no mistake.

City continued to put pressure on the Pegasus goal and should have been out-of-site by half time. Lockett could have gotten his second of the evening following a scramble in the box and an attempt from Hartley, but sent his effort over the bar. Dylan Hart on his return to the side following rehabilitation from an injury could have got himself on the scoresheet but for a brilliant save from Behan, and Belmonte could have also helped himself to a second, a curling effort ending up just inches over the bar.

Hereford Pegasus didn't trouble the City goal too much in the first half and would have been pleased just to make it into half time only two goals down.

City continued their pressure into the second half and Hartley continued to press for a goal, seeing an effort saved by Behan after good work from Stoddart in winning the ball back. Insall and Reid were introduced after the hour in place of Hart and Thompson Brown to keep fresh legs in attack, but the game seemed to take a turn on 71 minutes when Pegasus halved the deficit. For the first time on the night, Cawley Cox got in behind the City back line and his calm finish made it 2-1.

City, however, didn't panic and continued to control the game, and their reward was a Hartley goal on 82 minutes. Another brilliant header similar to Saturday's meant that City restored their two-goal advantage and secured the points, after being the stronger side throughout the match.

Next up we face bottom-of-the-league Wantage Town in another home fixture on Saturday at Claines Lane.