Photo: Stephen Niblett

Pershore travelled to high-flying Hereford Pegasus on Monday evening, buoyed by a convincing 4–0 victory over Lydney Town at the weekend. There was just one change to the starting eleven, with Harvey White returning in place of Martin Fowler.

There was controversy inside two minutes when Lucas Colley clipped a ball in behind for Archie Thurston. Through on goal, the striker went down under pressure from a defender, but with only the goalkeeper to beat the referee waved away the appeals.

Soon after, Ewan Carter and Yuri Quintas combined well to create a chance for Thurston, whose shot was saved by home keeper Matt Gwynne — though the offside flag was already raised.

Pegasus offered their first real threat after the quarter-hour mark when Jordan Williamson cut in from the left and forced Joe Cunneen into a fingertip save. From the resulting corner, Williamson rose highest but couldn’t direct his header on target.

As the game approached 20 minutes, Quintas again regained possession and found Thurston, who tested Gwynne from the edge of the box.

Pershore’s pressure told as they broke the deadlock shortly afterwards. Quintas beat his man down the flank and picked out Thurston, whose cross was turned in at the back post by Lucas Colley.

Five minutes later the lead was doubled. Colley’s cross-field ball was headed down by Quintas, who drove at goal and, after regaining possession inside the box, slid a pass to Thurston. The striker finished neatly into the far corner to make it 2–0.

On 37 minutes, Ewan Carter went close from a free-kick before Pegasus enjoyed their best spell of the half. First, Harrison Summers broke clear but was denied by Cunneen’s legs, and moments later Williamson flashed a dangerous ball across goal that evaded everyone.

Pershore looked to start the second half strongly, with Thurston curling wide after a counter led by Quintas. But minutes later the hosts pulled one back as a free-kick from the right was headed home by Carlos Moreira.

On the hour mark, Williamson again broke into the box but Cunneen stood tall to keep him out. The visitors were then reduced to ten men temporarily as Jack Neal was sin-binned, but Pershore defended resolutely during the spell of pressure that followed.

After his return, Quintas set up George Hunt on the edge of the box, but his curling strike went just wide.

As the game entered the closing stages, Pegasus were reduced to ten when Moreira saw red for a stamp on Callum Clayton. Pershore made the most of the advantage, sealing the victory in style. Substitute Joel Hill was released by Scott Wheeler’s pressing and, despite being surrounded by defenders, twisted and turned before firing across goal and in off the post to secure a 3–1 win