Prior at the double as Hawks gets win

Prior struck in the 35th and 50th minute as Lee Bradbury’s side maintained the pressure at the top of the table.

The hosts were at full strength, with Jordan Rose and Matt Tubbs recovering from injury and illness respectively.

A deep corner from Bradley Tarbuck just evaded Theo Lewis at the far post after five minutes.

Good work by Prior then saw him link up well with Wes Fogden on the edge of the visitors’ area.

But Fogden fired in a shot that goalkeeper Marcus Beauchamp diverted over the bar with his foot.

Hungerford’s first opportunity came from a free-kick just outside the area.

But it was fired straight against the defensive wall.

On 17 minutes Tom Meecham got the better of Rose and fired his shot into the side-netting.

At the other end, Prior sent a well-struck shot narrowly past the post.

Although the pitch was cutting up in places, it was nowhere near as bad as against Braintree two weeks ago.

On 34 minutes it was the Hawks who made the all-important breakthrough.

Brian Stock delivered a free-kick from the right-hand side of the pitch and when the ball fell loose Prior crashed a half-volley into the bottom corner of the net.

Almost immediately Beauchamp turned a Fogden shot over the top.

But Prior extended the Hawks’ lead five minutes into the second half.

Stock sent in a free-kick from the right and Rory Williams had his close-range shot beaten out by the goalkeeper.

The loose ball ran the alert Prior, who easily tucked the ball in from three yards.

The striker almost had his hat-trick when his header rebounded out off the inside of the post.

Bradbury’s side kept carving out chances against the rugged visitors.

Prior was thwarted for his hat-trick again by another near post save from Beauchamp in the 65th minute.

The home side easily saw the rest of the game out for the win.