Match Report  |  Bourne Town vs Gresley Rovers

Any of the Rovers’ faithful would have been very happy with a share of the points with title chasing Bourne Town but after watching their team’s dogged performance would be driving home after the 1-1 game feeling like it was a defeat after the home side levelled in the 96th minute.

The first half was scrappy with hardly any clear-cut chances for either side. Bourne had the first half chance on 22 minutes, but Will Bird’s poor shot was easily held by Rovers’ keeper Harvey Woodward.

On 28 minutes Bourne were down to 10 men when the flailing arm of Alvin Magagado caught Nathan Banton in the face in an off-the-ball incident right in front of the assistant referee who made the referee Ellis Mills aware of the incident and the referee didn’t hesitate to show a straight red card.

Despite the home side being down to 10 men they continued to press Rovers back but if the visitors attacked the defence looked a little shaky and it was tested on 35 minutes when Rovers almost took the lead. Fin Barker struck a stinging shot from the left which home keeper Dan Swan made a fine diving save, the rebound came out and was hammered back by Jack Thatcher but Brad Marshall did well to block.

Bourne started the second half strongly and went close themselves with a shot on target which took a deflection over the bar.
On 52 minutes Rovers had a let off. Zak Munton fired over a good cross from the right and found Bird near the far post but somehow, he managed to put his effort over the bar from a couple of yards in front of the gaping net.

The action was going from end to end but Bourne had another half chance on 69 minutes. A deep ball from the right to the far post was headed back across the box to Munton who could only put his header straight into the arms of Woodward.

Another chance came and went for the home side with another wasteful ball going wide and Rovers, at the other end saw a Sam Moore shot from distance go straight into the midriff of Swan.

With three minutes of normal time remaining Rovers took the lead, A high ball into Bourne’s goalmouth was dropped by Swan and Rovers’ substitute Jude Ayetene tried to capitalise going for the loose ball but Swan, in his effort to claim it himself, brought Ayetene down and the referee pointed to the spot. Moore made no mistake sending Swan the wrong way.

The hard-working Barker almost doubled Rovers’s advantage on 95 minutes but his well struck shot flew inches wide of the far post.
The visitors were desperately trying to keep the Bourne intense from snatching a point but a ball into their box on 96 minutes caused a moment of confusion and in the mass of bodies Aaron Eyett managed to poke the loose ball home. The subsequent celebrations from players, management and supporters showed how much they needed something out of the game. Whether a point will be enough for their title aspirations remains to be seen but for Rovers they had been seconds away from a momentous three points.

With Kimberley winning impressively at Harowby they swapped places with Rovers who dropped back into the bottom two despite a hardworking and solid unbeaten performance on the road.