Playing against a strong breeze in the first half, Town tried to exploit Price’s pace from the outset, several balls forward piercing Bentley’s rather square back four, but carrying through to Mike Teale in the Bentley goal. The first clear chance fell to the visitors, Kevin Lynch’s cross flashing across the penalty area but finding no takers. In the next move a long ball from the Town defence found Price, who hammered a shot from 25 yards which beat Teale to give the Blues a 15th minute lead. Bentley fought back, Lynch finding the side netting from a promising position and Sean Fulcher getting in a good block to deny Lee Drobac in the act of shooting. Chris Scott sent a swirling free kick over the Town bar, and on 26 minutes Bentley really should have levelled things. Phil Doran sent in a defence splitting ball from the left, and Drobac managed to hit the ball high over the top of the Town goal from eight yards out. The same player almost made amends, hitting the base of a post from another free kick, but Town gradually began to impose themselves on the game, Calum Fraser turning Doran to force Teale into conceding a corner. With the last action of the first half, Town doubled their lead, George Pearce and Reece Self combining to put Price in for the second time, his precise shot curling in at the far post. The two goal advantage didn’t quite reflect the balance of play, but on this occasion Town had put their chances away, Bentley hadn’t.
Sam Wilford came close to adding a third a minute into the second period, his close range effort just the wrong side of the post, but on 54 minutes Town grabbed the all-important third goal. Fraser sent in a cross from the left which was headed away by a defender as far as Pearce, who capped another impressive display by thumping the ball home from outside the area. Bentley’s heads were dropping now, and the writing was well and truly on the wall two minutes later with Fraser again the supplier. From his cross Alex Hales headed goalwards, Teale could only parry giving Hales the opportunity to send a follow up header over the keeper and into the net. Chris Riley was forced into action to pull off a good diving save from Scott’s shot, while Lynch hit a swerving shot over Town’s bar. Price then worked his way across the Bentley area before he was outnumbered and sub Danny Lee totally missed his kick as the Fraser – Price combination unlocked the defence once more. Price claimed a deserved hat trick on 70 minutes, his angled drive from the left edge of the area going across Teale and in off the far post. Bentley had a couple of chances to claim a consolation goal, Courtney Peynado skewing his shot well wide, and Drobac getting just too much height as he got on the end of a Lynch cross.
This was a far more encouraging display from Town, Price giving the attack a new dimension, which hopefully will provide the remainder of the season with a fresh impetus.