AFC Dunstable came into the game in good form, a convincing win on the opening day of the season coupled with their Beds. Premier Cup win coming off the back of last season’s County Senior Cup success. Like Kempston, the OD’s just missed out on the play off places last season.
The first chance came for the visitors when a right sided free kick was headed wide by Jermaine Hall, who grabbed a hat-trick on opening day. A minute later and Rovers’ Jake Newman beat the offside trap from a through ball and as he checked back onto his favoured left foot, he appeared to be caught in the area. The referee declared that contact, if any, was minimal and not worthy of a spot kick. Kempston had to ride their luck at times as, in the twentieth minute a poor shot was deflected through to Adiel Mannion who was clean through on goal only to blaze a first time effort well over the bar. On the half hour, neat interplay between Jake Newman and Nathan Tshikuna, making his first start for Rovers, couldn’t force a clear shot for Newman, but as the ball was half cleared Tshikuna curled over. With ten minutes to go before the break, Hall was booked for Dunstable for deliberate handball in the penalty area; raising his arm to meet a floated cross. Right on half time, the referee got his card out again, this time for Lee Close for a very late tackle on Ben Shepherd. Half time and the scores were still level.
AFC Dunstable had a couple of half chances at the start of the second half, a tame free kick into the hands of Conway and an off target header from Close. But it was in the fifty sixth minute that the breakthrough came and it was for the hosts. A needless tackle from behind gave Kempston a free kick a hand full of yards outside the area. Ben Shepherd lined up the kick and sent an absolute howitzer into the top left corner, leaving the Dunstable keeper Jamie Head grasping at thin air. It was Ben’s seventh goal for Rovers and probably his best. Both sides then traded half chances as defences continued to be on top. The best football of the night came in the seventy sixth minute, George Boland and Ash Fuller combined on the right with Michael Lyon with some excellent one touch passing and movement, this fed Jake Newman and his stinging shot was saved low and tipped behind for a corner. Two further Dunstable players were booked, Griffiths for a silly foul and Tavernier for a lunging challenge on Shepherd which could easily have been a red card on another day. There were no further clear chances on goal, but five minutes into stoppage time, Dunstable keeper Head came upfield for a free kick to try and salvage a point for his side. There was a scramble to get the ball clear but the goal was never really threatened. Shepherd and Herbert collected yellow cards in the dying minutes for Kempston for fouls. In the ninety seventh minute the referee blew for time and Rovers had their first win of the season.
Rovers now go on to face Newport Pagnell Town in the FA Cup at the weekend.

Man of the match, as chose by our matchday sponsors NPR Recruitment was Robbie Goodman