Willand made the 270+ mile round trip to West Berkshire for Saturday’s clash when they faced a struggling Thatcham Town side who sat 22nd before kick-off.
Steele added Lucas Coveney to his bench whilst Jamie Richards was moved to the bench after coming off at halftime against Larkhall Athletic with a few back issues.
The first real chance of the game went to Willand as Fin Rooke ran through on goal but the angle was very tight so he decided to pass it across goal towards Aidan Whitfield but it didn’t quite reach him and the defender cleared it out.
The first goal of many for Thacham came in the 6th minute as the ball was played down the right-hand side and scored by Kyle Spray who received the ball in the box and placed it in the top corner out of reach from George Burton.
Rovers looked for a response as a cross came in from Jack Kennell from the right and side as Owen Howe lept into the air to connect on the header but the ball came off the side of his head and is wide.
Penalty for Thatcham as Ross Edwards puts a late foot in as Moore is taken down and he steps up to the spot and wrong foots the keeper and slots it into the bottom right-hand corner of the net as George goes down to the left.
A long free kick came in as a cross-field ball which Josh Searle managed to latch himself onto as he shot just wide of the post as we looked for a response from the 2-goal deficit.
Another chance for Fin Rooke as he ran through and he tried to power the shot into the bottom corner but it was again just the wrong side of the post.
Thatcham looked as if they were certain to grab a 3rd goal as the attack was chancing a loose ball that went towards the touchline but as the ball did into the box the attacker didn’t square the ball to the man in the middle and George parried the ball out for a corner.
The hosts went down to 10 just before the whistle as their goal scorer Moore got his second yellow for a high foot on Josh Searle.
Half Time in Thatcham, 2-0 down but with the hosts on top and down to 10 men for the remainder of the game there could have been a chance of redemption.
The Kingfishers kinged Rovers with their third as Harry Thorpe slotted the ball into the bottom corner from the right-hand side into the left corner.
River Allan with the first chance of the half for Willand as River takes a shot which is blocked and he collects the ball again but as he looks to slot the ball under the keeper he sits on the ball to stop it.
And the hosts score their 4th of the game as Alfie Bridgman. As a reverse ball is played down the wing it was a 3 on 1 and as the ball got played across the box George Burton miskicks it and the ball falls to Bridgman who has an open goal.
Rovers didn’t go back home without a goal though as Ryan Guppy got a consolation in the 90th minute. Gupps sent the ball from on the outside of the box and powered a shot into the bottom right corner which rocketed like an arrow and rippled the net.
Full-Time at Waterside Park and it’s one to forget for the lads as the hosts take a comfortable victory over Rovers in a 4-1 win as they also go down to 10 men within the first half.
