The rub of the Greens

Bedworth United secured a victory in this encounter despite a late Kempston rally to record a win that carries them in to the top half of the table.

Rovers were behind within ten minutes, a cross from Bailey-Nicholls was missed by two defenders, allowing Piggon to head back across goal to find the net. The game settled and neither side carved out any real chances until the half way point of the half, when the Greens should’ve doubled their lead. Piggon snapping his shot wide of the post when given room to shoot. The same player was denied from a free kick moments later and he completed a hat-trick of spurned opportunities on the half hour when his effort from a corner was blocked by Alfie Powell. Rovers best moment of the half saw Izale McLeod firing over from the edge of the box on his wrong foot. Kempston were made to rue that miss right on half time as a long ball caught out the Rovers back line and saw Troke in on goal to slot home and make it two nil to the hosts at the break.

Piggon and Troke picked up where they had left off at the end of the first half and both had chances to further extend the lead in the early moments of the second period. Home sub Pryce also went close as they looked to assert their dominance. The wasted chances looked to be coming back to haunt the Greens as Rovers created a superb move with twenty minutes left. the superb Emmanuel Dahie threaded a ball through the eye of a needle to find Cameron Hyde marauding down the left flank. The youngster’s cut back cross ran perfectly for Jake Newman to powerfully sweep into the net without breaking stride. Inside the final five minutes, Rovers thought they had snatched an unlikely point, Ben Baker’s free kick floated into the box and saw Stefan Bailey stab goalwards, only to be denied by Dan Crane in the Greens goal. Sensing the danger Rovers were now posing, Bedworth closed shop and tried to manage the clock and see out the win. Rovers’ frustrations at these tactics got the better of them and saw a flurry of cards issued in stoppage time, including a straight red for Finlay Brennan, for throwing the ball at an opponent after conceding a free kick. Bedworth held on for the three points.

Defeat keeps Rovers in eighteenth place in the table ahead of next weekend’s Bedfordshire Derby clash with AFC Dunstable.

Andy Kirby Kit Predictor Game - fairly straightforward choice today of Yellow and Red moves us to 11/12 correct predictions for the season