Northern Premier League Midlands
The Moat Ground
Tuesday, 17th October 2023, 7.45pm
Another Fightback Earns A Point
Rovers staged yet another gutsy fightback to grab a well-earned point against current table toppers Spalding United at the Moat Ground in an entertaining game.
Finding themselves two goals down after just 20 minutes after playing well were rewarded for their hard work when Chris Jones pulled a goal back and as on Saturday Kieran O’Connell scoring the leveller almost on the half time whistle.
Both sides started well playing some good entertaining football which the crowd of 294 enjoyed, but it was the visitors who scored first on 14 minutes. Some unsure defending saw a long throw not cleared and the ball found Sam Cartwright at the far post who rifled his shot past Harvey Woodward and into the roof of the net.
Six minutes later they were two up when more sloppy defending, a cross from Glenn Walker was headed back into the danger area where Tyler Winters, who had missed two good chances minutes earlier, made sure he wasn’t going to miss a third and finished well.
Rovers came back strongly forcing two corners and Jones header forcing the visiting keeper Ben Heath into his first save of the game holding onto the ball low down.
On 32 minutes Rovers reduced the deficit when Jon Guy’s pass was perfect for Jones who scored the goal. They went close again two minutes later when Kane Lee cut in from the right and hit a low shot which needed two attempts to claim the ball by Heath at his near post.
Five minutes later O’Connell had a great chance to level things when a good run down the right by Jamie Sleigh ended with him sliding a pass to O’Connell who could only put his shot wide of the near post.
O’Connell did not miss his next opportunity when on 43 minutes firing home following a great footballing move through the middle of the pitch from almost end to end.
The second half continued with both sides playing good football but the Tulips almost gifted Rovers the lead. A free kick from the left was headed inches over the bar by a visiting defender.
Rovers went close again on 75 minutes when a throw-in on the left came to Guy who hit a rocket of a shot which fizzed just over the bar.
Both sides were going for the goal which would hand them all three points and it was the visitors who went closest to grabbing them in the dying minutes but if that goal would have come for either side it would have been very harsh on the losing side so a draw was the just result.
