Willand Rovers v Shaftesbury
Willand welcomed Shaftesbury to Silver Street for the final midweek game under the lights. Willand had hoped to right the wrongs of last Saturday as they got emphatically beaten by Melksham.
Our opponents in Shaftesbury were hoping to scramble out of the relegation scrap, and a win for them would keep them adrift, more so as the Rockies were bolstered up top for their visit to the Street.
Going into the game, David Steele has skipper Jamie Richards and Ryan Guppy back at his disposal for selection.
The early stages saw both sides battling for possession with a lot at stake in this game. Willand would break the deadlock in the 20th minute from a corner swung in from the left with a bit of a pile-up to let Jamie Richards head in from a strange angle, but a goal is a goal, and the skipper wheeled away in celebration.
The visitors would get one back through the ever-so-skilful Jack Hoey, but on this occasion, it felt more like a scramble to hit it away.
Going into half-time, it looked to be all level, but the gods above gave Rovers a huge lifeline when a mistake at the back from Shaftesbury meant Bailey Kempster had a shot through the keeper’s legs in the first minute of additional time to go back into the lead.
During the second half, Jack Kennell and Harvey Dorothy were brought on to add an attacking presence to the squad, with more chances being created towards the clubhouse end.
The second half started similarly to how the first half did, and Shaftesbury would go forward and press to try and at least find that equalising goal to give Steele’s men a tough evening.
River Allen did have to receive treatment in the second half and was brought off for an initial check and was replaced with Douglas Camilo.
A few chances fell our way in the late stages, and we found ourselves in good positions and forced their keeper into tight spaces, but the second half remained goalless, and Rovers maintained all three points on the night.
This being one of our games in hand means that Helston didn’t play this midweek, so we are now 4 points clear of the drop, and we welcome play-off chasing Mousehole on Saturday, where we are at home again.
#WeAreRovers
