MATCH REPORT: LITTLE OAKLEY 4-2 ROVERS

Lacklustre Rovers fell to their second league defeat in a month after being beaten by Little Oakley at the Little Oakley Memorial club on Saturday afternoon.

Rovers couldn’t have had a worser start as the home side opened the scoring in under one minute. A ball was played through the Rovers defence and a Little Oakley winger got on to the end of a through ball and crossed the ball into the area to a unmarked Luke Hipkin to tap in to the bottom left corner.

Despite this set back, Rovers had a decent spell of possession and almost found the equaliser when a corner wasn’t cleared and Harry Talbot hit a thunderous strike which seemed destined to smash into the roof of the net but was saved superbly from an acrobatic save from the Little Oakley goalkeeper Billy Lawlor.

However, Rovers finally found the equaliser after eighteen minutes. Jake Gordon delivered a free kick which Harry Talbot got on the end to which forced the Little Oakley goalkeeper to push wide to Charlie Kendall who headed the ball back for Harry Talbot to tap in.

Harry Talbot then doubled his and Rovers tally of the day which put the Rovers in front four minutes later. Jake Gordon tried to play the ball through but his effort was blocked but Jack Nolde retained possession of the ball and delivered a superb ball into the area for Harry Talbot to flick the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.

There was nothing much to report from either side after that, Oakley did have a free kick and the ball was met by a Little Oakley player but his effort was comfortably saved by Dan Blockley. However, Ben Search had to leave the field of play after the half hour mark due to injury.

HALFTIME: LITTLE OAKLEY 1-2 ROVERS

In the second half, Rovers were a shadow of their former selves. Little Oakley drew level one minute into the second half when Rovers failed to clear their lines. Danny Cossington did well to block a shot on the line but Harry Mann buried the rebound into the back of the net.

Little Oakley the retook the lead seven minutes later. The ball was passed around the edge of the box and Little Oakley’s Jordi Papple curled a brilliant shot into the bottom left corner of the net.

Marcus Bowers tried with bringing fresh legs into the game to bring back life into the Rovers, however Little Oakley delivered the killing blow twenty minutes from time. A corner was delivered into the back post and Harry Mann was there to head the ball past Dan Blockley.

Rovers did all they could to get back in the game but Little Oakley defended well to hold them at bay.

FULLTIME: LITTLE OAKLEY 4-2 ROVERS