The ‘Pub Team’ suffer their first home league defeat of the season

The game at Hillgrounds kicked off late at the referee’s discretion to allow the majority of the visiting players to arrive, after heavy traffic on the M1 this afternoon and evening. When the full compliment of Chalfont players had eventually turned up, they didn’t show any sign of their hectic rush to get ready as they passed the ball well and pressed when out of possession.

The game was further delayed in the fourth minute when midfielder Sam Macrae went down after challenging with Alex Paine, who had appeared to jump over Macrae to get the ball. After five minutes of treatment, Macrae left the pitch with a suspected broken arm. A great shame for the player who had only just got himself fit and into the side this season. On fifteen minutes, there was confusion in the Chalfont back line as the ball was played back to the keeper Dennison, under no pressure, the stopper inexplicably picked the ball up and gave away a free kick for a back pass. The free kick was laid back to Ash Fuller, who saw his powered effort blocked. Fuller had a better chance later in the half when he was set up by Nathan Tshikuna, but saw his first time shot fly wide. The only other action of note in the first half came in stoppage time, when Rob Hastings somehow managed to nod wide for the visitors when only a couple of yards out as he got on the end of a deep cross from the left.

The second half began much as the first had ended, with neither side really holding on to the ball too well, but it was the visitors who had the best chance of the game so far in the fifty seventh minute, when Beattie beat the offside and bore down on goal. His effort was turned away by Martin Conway and the follow up from Osobu was blocked on the line by Robbie Goodman. With fifteen minutes to play, Rovers thought they had the breakthrough. Sub Sam Johnson burst through the middle and rode his luck in a challenge, he nodded the bouncing ball through to Jake Newman, who expertly finished, only to be denied by the linesman’s flag for the second time in two games. The game seemed to drift away from being any sort of spectacle as both sides dug in. The only goal was scored with eight minutes to go, Victor Osobu beat the offside trap and finished low past Conway. Deep into stoppage time, Goodman headed over from a Conway free kick with their closest chance of the half. Chalfont saw out the game and became the first side to take all three points away from Hillgrounds this season.

Rovers will dust themselves down and travel to Aylesbury FC on Saturday while the Development side will play host to Queens Park Crescents at Hillgrounds at 2pm.