An Inspired Billy Radley Display Earns Rovers a Late Win

Saturday 12th October saw an away trip to Hargrave Park home of Stansted FC who are celebrating the 30th Anniversary of their FA Vase triumph at Wembley. Rovers came into the game off of the back of a 10-2 victory in the Gordon Brasted Cup against Sporting Bengal and sitting top of the ESL and with Stansted enduring a tough start to the campaign with 1 draw and 6 defeats in their first 7 games. Rovers were clear favourites for this tie. Stansted,however, had other ideas.
Stansted kicked off and were imediately robbed of posession and 30 seconds into the game Dan Trenkel and Ash Hawkins were denied by a superb double save by Matt Cope in the Stansted goal.
Infact the first 25 minutes saw Rovers in complete control passing the ball confidently. Chances fell to Dave Collins on 21, and a superb 30 yard Joe Skeels effort on 25 minutes and we were left wondering how Rovers werent 3-0 up at this point.
During this time Stansted were forced into a change with Tom Le Masurier having to be replaced by Jeff Williams-Baah following a tangle with Dave Collins.
Rovers continued the assault on the Stansted back line with a succession of corners, Stuart Hepburn long throws, and Dave Collins free kicks however couldnt put the ball away.
The ever running Billy Radley was having a good tussle with Stansteds Jake Buckland which would ultimately see both booked by the referee. Buckland on 36 minutes for persistent fouling then Radley on 40 minutes for what appeared to be an accidental trip on Buckland and looked incredibly harsh.
The last 10 minutes of the half saw the home side start to take a foothold with Rovers ,clearly frustrated by the lack of goals, resorting to long ball tactics which simply isnt us.
Stansted had a chance on 41 with Chid Onokwai twice going close.
The half drew to a close with the teams going in level at 0-0.
As the second half started Stansted began the stronger and it was they who made the breakthrough on 47 minutes when Dale Brightly couldnt hold a tame Stansted shot which crept in at the right hand post. 1-0 to Stansted.
This bought Rovers out more and they nearly equalised immediately when a Radley cross was sliced just over his own crossbar by Iwan Lewis.
On 52 minutes Rovers won a free kick in a dangerous position. Dave Collins took the kick for Billy Radley to steal in at the far post and head the ball into the net for a well worked equaliser. 1-1.
Rovers still looked frustrated by Stansteds resilience and they went close again on 54 minutes when Onokwai's shot was tipped round the post by Brightly.
Gary Ansell then made a change from the sidelines bringing off Joe Skeels for Gary Paterson in an attacking move which gave Rovers a more cutting edge with Ash Hawkins and Pato going close within seconds of one another on 60 minutes.
Stansted attacked on 62 and a superb strike from Gary Rowntree smashed the underside of the bar and in past Brightly putting Stansted 2-1 up.
With 15 minutes to go Gary Ansell went for broke with another substitution bringing on Aaron Baldwin for Max Kent so an attacker for a defender with Dave Collins dropping to left back.
The move produced an instant reward with Baldwin producing a great run down the right and finishing it off with a superb effort passing the ball into the right hand corner of the Stansted goal for the equaliser. 2-2.
This took the steam out of Stansted and Rovers finally looked like league leaders. Man of the match elect Billy Radley then took centre stage with his ever running style and energy driving Rovers on and on 80 minutes he nabbed his second of the game with a well placed finish making it 3-2 to Rovers.
The homeside were down and out and Rovers were able to pick passes at will and on 88 Radley capped off his fine display with a superb hit from about 20 yards out which cleared Copes dive and dipped under the crossbar making it 4-2 to Rovers. What a fifteen minutes and what a performance from Radley who has been consistantly good all season.
On 89 Ash Hawkins also went close nearly making it 5 but the ball went agonisingly wide. That would have been harsh on Stansted as the scoreline did not do them justice.
As the final whistle went Rovers knew they had 'got out of jail' thanks to Radleys superb display infact its a performance that could prove crucial as Enfield 1893 were thrashing FC Romania and helped us keep our noses in front at the top of the table.Special mention must also go to Gary Ansell's inspired substitutions which flipped the game on its head.
Its a tough away trip to Barking next for Rovers and Player Boss Dan Trenkel will be looking for a much more polished performance from his players.

Rovers- Brightly, Pugsley, Kent (Baldwin), Collins, Hepburn, Skelton (C), Radley, Skeels (Paterson), Trenkel, Hawkins, Smith. Subs not Used- Fletcher, Sparrow, Read.

Rovers Man of the Match- Billy Radley.

Match Statistics courtesy of Clubstatto.com

Pass Strings = 3 or more consecutive passes