United came back from one down to fully deserve the win away.

 

With both keepers missing through suspension and unavailability, Abingdon drafted in on loan James Foster from Oxford United’s Youth side and he didn’t let them down.

 

Town came strong from the start and only poor finishing kept the game scoreless. Jody Bevan fired a fierce shot over the bar and Craig Tait sent his effort flashing outside the post.

 

With only ten minutes gone and only some stern defending kept the United goal intact.  A quick break caught out Abingdon and a powerful shot forced a good diving save from Foster but the parried ball ran to Bevan with a gaping goal at his mercy but a flying tackle from Julian McCalmon blocked the ball and James Organ hooked it away.

 

United began to settle to their task and matched Cinderford in the middle which meant a struggle for either side to get forward and United only had a shot off target and a Tom Franklin free kick way too high in the first half an hour of play.

 

Bevan for Town got clear on the right but wasted his chance again as he only found the side netting. This was soon followed by a corner which Dan Harrison headed goalwards but it was stopped on the Abingdon line and after a scramble was thumped away to safety.

 

Neil Grifftihs for the home side got underneath a cross and headed over the bar and then Abingdon took a grip on the game.

 

A swift left wing run and cross was dummied twice and ran through to Mark Janes who steadied and then crashed the ball beyond the keeper Matt Bath but the ball thumped against the post and out.

 

With the half time whistle looming Billy Beechers created some space and as his shot went passed Anaclet Odhiambo he clipped it with his back heel but Bath pulled off a great save at the base of the upright. The ball ran loose and was fired back in but Bath again was alert to go down to force it away.

 

The second half started as the first with Town looking for the first score and they didn’t wait long. First Bevan brought another good save from Foster before a deep ball found him unmarked and he picked his spot with his head to score in the 55^th minute.

 

This was followed by a high free kick into the area by Town that was hooked on but Foster was equal to it and pushed it clear.

 

 Abingdon had a chance to equalise just after the hour mark when Odhiambo was brought down with a rash tackle as he went to shoot 8 yards out and a penalty was awarded.

 

Odhiambo took it but the keeper guessed correctly and for the third penalty in a row by the striker the spot kick was saved.

 

Cinderford nearly went two up as a speculative lob bounced off the Abingdon bar but with 70 minutes gone Abingdon moved up a gear.

 

Janes put Beechers clear on the right and he whipped in a cross to the near post and Odhiambo made up for his penalty miss as he got in front of his man and sprinting in stooped to send a bullet header into the back of the net.

 

Foster came to the rescue again as Bevan broke but with only the keeper to beat found Foster had closed down so well he could only shoot into his body. 
Ten minutes left and this time Tom Austin exploited space down the right and a low ball at pace across the six yard box was dummied and Declan Benjamin coming in behind smashed the ball home to give United the lead.

 

Soon after and Austin was away again and this time had a go himself but Bath flew to his left to parry the shot away for a corner.  The keeper was called into action again straight away after good inter play between Benjamin and Luke Holden ended with Benjamin being denied a second score as Bath slid out to save with his legs.

 

As United tried to run down the clock by taking the ball to the corner flags McCalmon conjured up the final goal.  Austin slipped the ball to him and in the corner he beat one man and then running the ball along the line towards goal with a man snapping at him all the time he somehow kept it in play and then tried to slip it under the goalie. It was forced out and as a number of players went for the ball it was chipped up and over the prone keeper from the boot of McCalmon to make the game safe.

 

Team: Foster, Organ, Janes, Franklin, Davies, Burton, Austin, Herbert, McCalmon, Beechers, Odhiambo

 

Subs Used:  Benjamin on for Burton (65),      Holden on for Beechers (75)

 

Subs not used:  Haysham, Booker, Biddle

 

 Attendance:       75