Match Report  |  Yaxley vs Gresley Rovers

This was a game of two halves with the stiff end-to-end breeze assisting both teams throughout the match. Rovers had the advantage in the first half and the home side during the second.

Rovers dominated the first half and could easily have been five or six goals to the good by the break. They created many chances and were thwarted by some blocks and wayward finishing.

Kieran Wells went agonisingly close firing a shot just wide with barely three minutes on the clock. A cross then followed from Dylan Hunniford which keeper Kacpar Kurylowicz managed to grab on the ground with Wells ready to pounce.

More chances arrived with Alex Morris heading George Clark’s cross from the left narrowly over the bar and Jordi Gough’s deep free kick being collected by the keeper with Wells lurking for the loose ball. It was then the turn of Michael Williams to go close firing his effort just wide of the upright.

Corner after corner followed with Rovers still not managing to grab the goal which looked certain to arrive. Wells was working hard but it just wasn’t his day as yet another attempt was blocked by the keeper.

Rovers were having to be very patient as they waited for that crucial breakthrough and then like waiting for a bus, three came together.

The corner count hit fourteen in the half but Rovers just couldn’t take advantage of any of them, that was until the 42nd minute. Kane Lee swung the 11th in from the left and aided by the breeze the ball sailed in at the near post despite Kurylowicz getting a hand to it.

Goal number two came three minutes later. Into time added on, yet another corner was half cleared by the defence only as far as young Dylan Hunniford, making his full first team debut, on the edge of the area and he hit a delicious half volley to leave the home keeper a mere spectator.

The third goal was a beaut. On the third minute of added on time the ball found Lee who seeing the keeper well off his line lobbed the ball over his head and into the net from just inside the opposition half.

The referee finished the half and Rovers found themselves three goals up in the final seven minutes.

Whereas Rovers had the breeze to their backs in the first half, it was now the turn of the home side to try and take advantage and the Cuckoos started to fly. But before they did Rovers had a glorious chance to extend their lead. On 51 minutes Wells was put through by a superb ball from Hunniford but after racing forward his shot beat the keeper but clipped the outer edge of the far post.

If that chance had gone in Rovers would have run out comfortable winner but the home side, to their credit, began to take the game to their visitors for the first time in the game.

On the hour mark Rovers’ keeper, Lewis Fenney, had the first serious save to make getting down low to hold a shot from Daniel Cotton.

Yaxley were pressing forward and a slip in midfield on 69 minutes from Rovers enabled the ball to be played over to Alfred Wren who beat Fenney from distance.

With six minutes remaining Yaxley were truly back in the game. A cross into the box, aided by the breeze, was helped into the net by Frazer Garner at the back post.
Rovers were starting to panic a little as they saw the possibility of letting a three goal lead disappear but they managed to keep clearing their lines despite there being an interminable amount of added on time.

With 5 minutes of that time played, Rovers’ substitute Kieron Berry, went close to finishing the game in style. Making a flying run down the right he cut in and forced the keeper to make a smart save at his near post. A minute later the referee ended the game, and a relieved Rovers could travel home with a valuable three points.