Rovers denied at the death

Despite extending the current unbeaten streak to seven games, Kempston walked away from this game with thoughts of what could have been. The hosts, Chalfont – who were down to nine men through two shocking acts of dissent and disrespect, snatch an unlikely point three minutes into stoppage time.

Rovers had begun much the brighter side, Jamaine Ivy forcing a flying one handed save from Dennison after a stinging volley toward the top corner as early as the seventh minute. Grant Fryer saw a header go wide from a free kick on the quarter hour, while leading scorer Jake Newman saw an effort parried behind for a corner. The first effort that the hosts had on goal came on twenty-five minutes, as Cass turned and fired goalward from the edge of the area, forcing Martin Conway in to a full-length diving save. Alex Collard saw a header tipped behind for a corner, before at the other end Robbie Goodman was forced to throw his body on the line to block a Chalfont shot. Chalfont should have taken the lead just before the break as Cass pulled back to Haule, less than six yards out with an open goal to aim at. The forward contrived to put the ball over the bar and the stand – so sure were Chalfont that they would score, they even tweeted the goal – a mistake that was hurriedly corrected. As the first half wound down, Cass went into the referee’s notebook for a stamp on Hateley Mercer. While Newman had one last effort at goal his header from Luke Heneghan’s cross went just wide of the up right. The two sides left the field goal less at the break, to howls and cat calls from the home support in the direction of the referee.

The second half began much as the first had and Rovers thought they had taken the lead ten minutes in. Interplay between Ben Shepherd, Benjamin Acquaye fed Jamaine Ivy, who found the net with a low shot, only to be denied by the linesman’s flag. Moments later there was a flashpoint between Goodman and Brian Haule for the hosts. Goodman intimating that Haule had spat at him. While the referee was in consultation with his assistant, Haule was heard to remark “yeah, I spat at him, and what?” Goodman was booked for his reaction, while Haule was shown a straight red card for his disgusting action. This provoked a torrent of abuse from the home crowd toward the match officials and saw the home manager come twenty yards out of his dugout to remonstrate. The dismissal seemed to inspire Chalfont, who went on to have their brightest spell of the game, without however, creating any clear-cut chances. Midway through the half, Heneghan flashed a shot just wide from the edge of the box. With less than ten minutes of normal time remaining, Kempston finally made the breakthrough. Heneghan volley a through ball to sub Josh Crawley, who raced clear of the Chalfont back line and showed deft composure to lift the ball delicately over the on-rushing Dennison for the opening goal. As the clock ticked over the end of normal time, the referee reached for his red card again, this time for Jake Cass. Initially there was confusion as to what for, but it transpired that he had directed foul and abusive language toward the linesman on the far side. There was yet more abuse headed the official’s way from the terraces. Three minutes in to the seven minutes worth of stoppage time, Kempston gave away a silly free kick on the edge of the area. The ball was played deep to the back post where Fenton ghosted in unmarked to divert the ball home to level the scores. The goal was met with more howls of derision from the home fans, who instead of celebrating the unlikely comeback, chose to further abuse the match officials. At the very death, Rovers will feel they should’ve stolen the victory, a long throw from Mercer caused panic in the Chalfont penalty area. In the scramble three Rovers players had chances to bundle the ball in, but to their credit Chalfont blocked and clear excellently to hang on for a point. The match officials were subjected to further abuse from the terraces as they left the field, one Chalfont supporter was heard to remark "they better not show their faces in the bar afterwards."

After the game, Rovers joint manager Jimmy Stoyles made himself clear that he would review the equalising goal and find out who it was that was responsible for Fenton being unmarked. The result leaves Kempston in ninth place, nine points off the play off places having played a game more that Cambridge City, however with the constantly changing situation for promotion this season, seventh place may yet be good enough to sneak into the play offs. Rovers will look to extend their current unbeaten run on Tuesday night with a local derby away at Barton Rovers before next weekend’s home clash, another local derby, with Arlesey Town