Stroud League Division Four

Hardwicke 3rds 4 Dursley Town Res 1

STRUGGLING Dursley gave a much-improved performance at Hardwicke but still slipped to their ninth consecutive defeat in all competitions as the hosts scored twice in each half.

Town gave as good as they got in the opening 20 minutes, but then a 25-yard shot fizzed into the bottom corner of the net and a near-post header at a corner soon made it two.

The visitors came close to finding a way back into the game after the break as Chris Wilkins’ header from a corner was blocked and Simeon Stokes-Johnson’s drive was beaten away.

However, Hardwicke effectively sealed the points 20 minutes from time when Keith Watson got his hand to a low shot, but the ball rolled across the face of goal to be tapped in at the far post.

Dursley got the goal their efforts deserved ten minutes later when Stokes-Johnson rose highest to glance in Paul Cook’s inswinging free-kick, but the hosts soon replied with a fourth.

Town’s performance was certainly an improvement on recent weeks, however, with Chilean signing Pato Guerrero adapting well to the English winter conditions on his first start for the club.

Dursley: K Watson; M Jones (J Rogers 46), P Cook, D Clark, C Wilkins; R Cox, R White (Jones 70); T Clark, S Stokes-Johnson, P Guerrero; J Smith. Not Used: A White.

Goals: Stokes-Johnson (80).