Prior to kick off, the match official deemed that Welwyn’s claret shirts were too similar to Rovers’ familiar red and white and the visitors were forced to change, borrowing an old away kit from the home side. Rovers handed a debut to Ben Baker in this game, the midfielder showed flashes of being able to excite the home faithful.

An early free kick for the visitors was tamely saved by Carl Knox, before Mensah had an effort deflected wide. From then on the only fare was long and optimistic pot shots at goal rather than expertly crafted, intricate football. It took until the final five minutes of the first period for the first real goal mouth action, a quick free kick from the visitors was played across goal by Stead, but Cleaver couldn’t find a finish. Not to be denied, Cleaver did open the scoring in first half stoppage time, following up to toe end in after Ironton’s initial shot had been well saved by Knox. One nil at the break.

Less than ten minutes into the second half and Ironton got his name on the score sheet. Unmarked in the area, he had time to control and smash home an emphatic second for the visitors. A string of substitutions and some more endeavouring but ultimately unproductive midfield play from both sides saw the second period drag out, but as with the first half it was sparked into life in the final five minutes. First, the referee being forced to calm down Close and Izale McLeod after the former near wrestled the veteran forward to the floor several times ahead of a corner. The calming failed and a minute later both were booked. The game was wrapped up in stoppage time as Welwyn broke up field following some late Kempston pressure, Stead’s two initial efforts were saved by Knox, but following in was Carrington to smash home the third goal of the game and secure the points for the visitors.

Rovers left the field dejected and slipping to sixteenth place having now lost all their games in the month of September. Next week’s FA Trophy clash with Wisbech Town is the last chance to register a positive result before October. Tony Joyce was philosophical in defeat, admitting that the recent run of results is not acceptable. The popular manager vowed to put things right and shake things up in forthcoming games.