Rovers put luckless Arlesey to the sword

A changed line up for Kempston saw Carl Knox make his first league start of the season and a slight reshuffle in the forward line to compensate for the absence of Jake Newman gave Jamaine Ivy the chance to lead the line.

As early as the sixth minute, Rovers took the lead in somewhat bizzare circumstances. A long ball down the right hand side from George Boland found Sam Johnson who roasted his man and whipped in the cross. It seemed to go straight through the goal keepers hands as he looked to have it comfortably covered and was cleared by the defender after it came down off the bar. There was a brief moment of silence around the ground as the referee looked to his assistant. A flag was waved and the goal was given, Johnson the scorer, although Ivy was putting the pressure on the keeper from the cross and may well claim a touch on the goal. Williams and Andrews had long range efforts for the hosts, but didn’t trouble Knox in the Rovers goal. Josh Crawley had a shot fly wide before Seb Simpson headed just past the post from a corner. Ivy could’ve doubled the lead when his close range shot from a Jordan Lee cross was smothered at point blank range by the impressive Elsom in the Arlesey goal. Ash Fuller and Ben Shepherd had further chances before the break, but the score remained at one nil.

Kempston started the second half as the had played most of the first, on the front foot and creating chances. Ivy and Johnson went close before the lead was doubled on the hour mark. Fuller had a shot blocked in the area, the ball fell to Crawley and he turned the ball across goal for Johnson to bundle in at the back post, although on first viewing it looked to be an own goal. In the seventy eighth minute, Rovers made the game safe. Ivy had a shot blocked, but the ball fell to Johnson who put the ball across goal, where it bounced in off the luckless Khan at the far post for three nil. Two minutes later, Luke Heneghan was tripped in the area after neat build up play. Ben Shepherd dispatched the penalty, Rovers first of the season, low to the right hand side for four nil. The score sheet wasn’t troubled any further in the game, thanks in large part to Elsom – a work experience loan from Peterborough United. The young keeper made a number of top drawer saves to keep the score down and surely must have taken the home side’s man of the match award.

Rovers face Fleet Town away on Saturday, before hosting Barton Rovers on the 9th December.