Northern Premier League Midlands
The Moat Ground
Saturday, 10th February 2024, 3.00pm
No Joy For Rovers
It’s hard to put this game into words. Rovers played well, better than in many games this season b they could not take advantage of having most of the possession throughout the ninety minutes. Again, they gave three of the four goals to their opposition from some poor defending something that has been evident numerous times and something that needs to be remedied quickly as the games rapidly run out.
Up front they looked more dangerous but as normally the case when you are in the bottom reaches of the league nothing seems to go your way whereas at the top the opposite seems to be the case. Rovers did have chances but denied by the bar, the post and some good saves. At the other end however, five chances and four goals says it all.
Rovers squad included two new signings, Connor Pace a midfielder highly thought of at home club Burton Albion and defender William Grewal-Pollard who joins Rovers from Alfreton Town.
Pace was given the start with Grewal-Pollard on the bench.
The home side started well with an effort going wide from a corner after just three minutes. Continuing to press their visitors back Rovers went close again on 11 minutes when John King did well to drop his marker before turning well before hitting a shot which Dynamo’s keeper Lewis King did well to push the ball way for another corner.
Dynamo took the lead in fortuitous fashion. A cross from the right was completely missed by a Dynamo player at the near post but a scramble saw the ball in the net. Whether it came off home keeper Louie Turner or George Ball is debatable, never-the less the visitors were in the lead against the run of play.
On 29 minutes Rovers gave away another poor goal, this time it was the result of a rash tackle in the area from John King on Gianluca Bucci saw the referee give a penalty kick which was dispatched by Evan Garnett.
Garnett almost scored again when he ran onto a through ball before beating Turmer but Martin Smyth was on hand to clear the ball off the line.
To Rovers’ credit they didn’t let their heads drop after going two down and continued to press forward. Pace was inches away from a debut goal when he turned well on the edge of the are only to see his well struck shot fly just past the far post with the keeper beaten.
On the stroke of halftime, Rovers went even closer when John King hit a thunderous shot from distance which the Dynamo managed to get the slightest of touches tipping the dipping shot onto the cross bar.
Rovers started the second half like the had the first, on the front foot with Kieran O’Connell hitting a low shot straight at the keeper. At the other end Garnett forced a good save from Turner as the young keeper, diving to his left, turned a well struck shot away for a corner.
Dynamo’s third goal was also a result of some slack defending which allowed Rio Molyneaux to punish the home side. Rovers responded almost immediately and had the ball in the net but the up raised flag of the assistant referee cut short the celebrations.
Rovers made their first change with Nathan Banton replacing O’Connell but it didn’t prevent the visitors from adding to their total with the only goal that they had earned themselves. A great cross from the right saw David Chapman rise at the far post to head home.
More changes for the home side saw Ainsley Finney replace Jenson Cooper and Grewal-Pollard handed his debut replacing Egginton.
The elusive goal that Rovers had been searching for the last three games came on 90 minutes. John King swung in a corner from the right which flew over the heads of defenders and keeper alike before curling into the far corner of the net. It was nothing more than Rovers deserved after a decent performance. King almost added his second when he beat the backline but his goal bound effort took a slight deflection send the ball away for a corner, their eight of the game.
Minutes later the referee ended the game with the scoreline very harsh on Rovers but now with the mountain they need to climb to retain their Northern Premier League membership becoming so much higher.
