No Kid-ing, a great result for Rovers

Rovers arrived in Oxfordshire looking for a first win of the season and made one change to the starting line up, Alfie Powell replacing Fryer, who was unwell.

Hateley Mercer fired the first warning shot of the game, hitting a free kick just over the bar after just five minutes. After just ten minutes of play, Kidlington received their first yellow card of the day, one of six they would earn over the course of the game, Oddy having his name taken for a needless trip on Martin Conway. Fifteen minutes into proceedings and Rovers were in front. A poor back pass was latched on to by Josh Crawley, who showed great composure to slide his finish beyond Warrell and into the net. Shane Bush should have doubled the lead minutes later but could only head over from a corner. Reece Bayliss had the hosts first real chance of the game but his finish was wayward. Just before the half hour, Liam Carroll became the second name in the referee’s notebook. A high challenge saw his name taken. Rovers were beginning to find some attacking rhythm, Ben Acquaye and Nathan Tshikuna both seeing efforts trouble the home goal. Ben Shepherd was the only Kempston player to be booked in the game and he had his name taken ten minutes before the break for a silly trip on his opponent. Quainton saw yellow just before the break for a scything tackle for the hosts as their frustrations began to show. Right on half time, Kempston doubled the lead. Confusion in the Kidlington area allowed Crawley to lay the ball back to Tshikuna at the edge of the box, where the powerful winger swept home into the corner. The youngster’s second goal in as many games.

Kidlington started the second half brightly, Oddy surging through but couldn’t deliver a good cross. Just ten minutes into the half, all Kidlington’s planning had to go out the window as Carroll was shown a second yellow card for another high footed challenge. His protests were waved away by the referee and he could be heard stamping and kicking his way down the changing room corridor. Kidlington seemed to lift themselves, almost immediately after going down to ten men, Calvin latched on to a poor back header and forced Martin Conway into his only meaningful save of the afternoon. Rovers introduced Ty Deacon from the bench as they slightly re-shuffled the shape and the forward nearly opened his scoring account after rounding the goal keeper, only to see his shot blocked on its way to goal. Rovers didn’t have to wait long for the third goal, with twenty minutes left on the watch, Acquaye flicked on to Crawley, who lobbed a delicious ball over the top of the advancing keeper for his second of the afternoon and fourth of the season. Calvin was booked for the hosts for a petty show of dissent as Kidlington’s frustrations boiled over. Deacon, determined to score, was twice denied in a matter of moments by Warrell in the hosts’ goal. But it was a challenge by Warrell on Deacon that saw the referee point to the penalty spot. Josh Crawley stepped up, but saw his penalty saved by Warrell, who got up to block the follow up as well before Deacon’s shot was scrambled clear. Crawley, still chasing his hattrick saw two further efforts saved, Deacon too had further chances, but couldn’t score. Warrell was shown a late yellow card, again for dissent, running half the length of the field to remonstrate with the match official about his award of a clear foul. Seb Simpson had the ball in the net late on, but his follow up from Tshikuna’s shot was offside.

The result means Rovers end the month in twelfth position in the table as well as being safely through in the FA Cup. Their next game is on the first of September at home to Berkhamstead in a three o’clock kick off.