Plenty of positives

Rovers gave first starts to three of their four signings this week, with the other coming off the bench. Two of last season’s champion under 18 side were also named as substitutes as new manager Tony Joyce looks to re-shape the squad he inherited.

Kempston nearly had the perfect start as new front man Izale McLeod laid the ball square to Ben Acquaye in just the third minute, the lively winger saw his shot blocked by the legs of Dan Green. Less than sixty seconds later, Nathan Tshikuna lofted a ball through to Acquaye who returned the favour to McLeod. The powerful forward took a touch to get past Green, only to see the shot cannon back off the post and behind. Welwyn could’ve taken the lead on the quarter hour in the most bizarre circumstances, a ball in from Zanone saw Daniel Akubuine slide in to make a clearance, which sliced horribly. Fortunately for him, it went over the bar. Midway through the half, Ben Shepherd crossed into the box, causing chaos and nearly an own goal. Acquaye on the follow up saw his shot tipped round for a corner. The danger wasn’t over for City, as from the corner, Shepherd dropped the ball perfectly onto the head of the towering Alfie Powell, who powered the ball into the top corner to give Kempston the lead. Minutes after the goal came the incident that changed the game. Ieuan Riley, admired by Rovers fans for his robust nature, went into a lunging challenge that took out his own man in Kye Andrews. Andrews’ fall resulted in him knocking a Welwyn player off balance. The referee was in no doubt that it was a straight red card for Riley. The official went to consult with his assistant after brandishing the card to check that he had made the right decision, despite protestation that Riley had clipped his own man and not an opponent the dismissal stood and Rovers were down to ten men. Six minutes later, Welwyn were level. Zanone was played in wide on the right, he got half a yard on his man and whipped a cross in on goal which flew over the head of Wyant and into the top corner. Only he will be able to tell you if he meant it or not. McLeod had a late header over the bar, while Keenlyside couldn’t turn the ball home for City in stoppage time. Just before the end of the half, the referee stopped play after Nick Elliot was deemed to have raised his boot to kick Alfie Powell in the head. A yellow card was given for the dangerous challenge as the sides went in level at the break.

Early in the second half, Tom Wyant was at his spectacular best to deny Zanone, a shot came in from the right, which was blocked. The looping ball fell kindly for Zanone to nod goalward, seemingly into the empty net. Rovers young keeper performed heroics to scramble across and clear the danger. Wyant wasn’t to know that the flag was raised for offside against the Welwyn man and his wonder save did not count. A little under ten minutes into the second period however, and City did hit the front for the first time in the game. Keenlyside was played in on the right hand channel, timing his run to look to have beaten the offside trap, he clipped the ball calmly over the on rushing Wyant to make it two one. Rovers young sub Evan Beldon had a snap shot tipped wide for a corner on the hour. Nick Elliot drew another fine save from Wyant midway through the half as he burst forward and hit a low curling effort, which was tipped round for a corner. Zanone wasted a glorious chance moments later when he blazed wide after being put through. Beldon then did magnificently well to dance his way through on the left flank before pulling the ball back to Acquaye, who could only drag the shot across goal. On seventy two minutes, Rovers were level in spectacular fashion. Tshikuna created some space and fed the ball into McLeod on the edge of the box, the forward then laid the ball off to Mason Spence. Spence took aim and unleashed a thunderbolt shot into the roof of the net from fully twenty five yards, beyond Green before he could even react. Parity lasted just eight minutes, as from a right sided corner, the ball found the head of Lee Close, which found the net to put Welwyn back in front. In search of another leveller to get the point they more than deserved, Rovers poured forward. Tshikuna forced Green into a good save with a long effort after a corner wasn’t cleared properly. Harlem Sambu fired wide after good set up play from Beldon. Then finally in stoppage time, sub Scott Joseph showed great skill to perplex two defenders, but couldn’t find the finish to match his build up play. Welwyn closed the game out to win.

After the game, the visiting manager claimed that the red card changed the game and admitted it would’ve been tough to beat Kempston had they kept eleven men on the field for the whole game. Results elsewhere in the division see Rovers down one place to sixteenth. The next action for Kempston is next weekend away at Corby Town.