Kempston Rovers ran out comfortable winners as they recored back to back victories and clean sheets against the leagues bottom club, Petersfield Town.
Rovers looked lively from the warm up; there has been a palpable change in the mood around the club. This extra energy and determination nearly paid dividends twice within the first ten minutes, first Grant Fryer headed a corner just wide before a cross from Manny Sundire led to an Ash Fuller shot being blocked and Luke Heneghan saw his follow up smothered.
After a few more half chances, Kempston took a deserved lead after twenty one minutes. Ben Shepherd drove into the box, putting the ball across the goal for Ash Fuller to tap in for his twelfth goal of the season. A very similar goal to the one that opened the scoring two weeks ago at Aylesbury United.
Kempston were finding their way through the Petersfield offside trap almost at will; Heneghan, Johnson and Jake Newman had efforts that forced Matthew Collins, the goal keeper into action.
The visitors first chance of note came in the forty first time, when winger Max Smith was put through, he tried to loft the ball over Carl Knox, but could only lift the ball into Knox’ grateful gloves.
The second half was barely three minutes old when Kempston doubled their lead. Jake Newman was involved in the build-up as he rounded three defenders and pulled the ball back for Sam Johnson to drive the ball, low and hard past Collins into the net.
The lead was extended to three at the hour mark as neat play from Newman resulted in a cross, which was missed by Heneghan but not by Johnson, who gratefully netted his second of the game and ninth of the season.
Jake Newman continued to exploit the space behind the Petersfield defence, hitting the base of the post in the sixty fifth minute and having a one on one saved in the seventy fifth. Lyon, Goodman, Heneghan and substitute Jamaine Ivy all had chances before a late corner was headed home by Grant Fryer to make the scoreline more flattering for Rovers.
Matthew Collins, the Petersfield keeper, had made a string of important and impressive saves to keep the score down, earned himself an ovation in the bar afterwards and became the first away player to receive the man of the match award at Rovers this season. We wish him and his team mates all the best for the rest of, what has been for them, a difficult season.
Rovers Line up;
1 Knox, 2 Sundire, 3 Lyon, 4 Goodman, 5 Simpson, 6 Fryer, 7 Johnson, 8 Shepherd, 9 Newman, 10 Heneghan, 11 Fuller
Subs – 12 Ivy, 14 Boland, 15 Ridgway
Attendance 86 Rovers man of the match – Sam Johnson/Grant Fryer

By Matthew Wilmot