Team Performance Rules The Day

In what was an enthralling encounter at a sunny Park Drive, Rovers weathered a late second half onslought to continue their good start to the season. A Tom Ranger brace and a Jay Nash header secured the three points for Dan Trenkel as the Rovers boss now looks to a short break from the league as Rovers travel to Tilbury in the League Cup on Tuesday evening.

Rovers started brightly, just two minutes on the clock when Billy Johnson's free kick was palmed round the post following a foul on Eljay Worrell about 25 yards out.

It took The Jammers around five minutes to find their rhythm, with the lively Femi Akinwande flashing a shot across the face of goal. On the quarter of an hour mark Seal made his first save of the day, keeping out Akinwande with his feet. Maldon were building the pressure and looking sharp going forward. Four minutes later, the pressure told. Good work around the area, left Darren McQueen cutting inside to drive a left foot shot to the left of an unsighted Adam Seal, the keeper managing to get some contact on the ball.
Rovers could have drawn level almost immediately, a ball in from Max Kent from the left hand side finding Billy Johnson, but his snap shot was skewed wide.
Maldon continued to maintain their pressure but they could do nothing to keep out Jay Nash's close range shot into the roof of the net as Maldon failed to clear their lines, following some good work by Stuart Hepburn & Billy Johnson.

On the half hour Rovers lost Jacob Cleaver, who appeared to require his asthma pump. His replacement, Billy Radley took up his position on the right side of midfield, leaving Jay Nash as a lone striker. Maldon grabbed their second just before half time, a glorious ball over the top splitting the Rovers defence by Matt Lock, finding Akinwande who placed his shot past Seal.

Half Time: Maldon & Tiptree 2 - 1 Rovers

The second half began with Maldon on the offensive, David Segura firing over the bar. Rovers grabbed the equaliser in stunning form, as Billy Johnson played in Tom Ranger who forged into the area and hit a superb shot across keeper Danny Sambridge and into the bottom corner. Ten minutes later Ranger gave Rovers the lead, his near post header from a Billy Johnson cross flashed beyond Sambridge and nestled into the net.

Maldon stepped up a gear to find their equaliser and Rovers defended stoutly. Adam Seal twice coming to Rovers aid with two stunning saves, first tipping over the bar, then getting down sharply to his right to keep out substitute Rhys Henry. With minutes remaining Johnson made way for Bradley Vaughan to make his competitive debut for the club, as Trenkel defended the slim lead.

As referee Stuart Cheek blew for the final whistle, relief could be felt by supporters, the bench and the players as another tough test ended with Rovers on the winning side. There truly is something special about the side that Trenkel has put together and the way that they appear to play for each other as well as the club.

Full Time: Maldon & Tiptree 2 - 3 Rovers