Another Win For Goal Happy Rovers!

So its back to league action with the visit of Greenhouse London formerly known as Harringey and Waltham Developement who visit Burroughs Park.
I recall they gave us a real battle last season and I expected similar again tonight and despite the scoreline Rovers did not have it all their own way.
Rovers returned to a more familiar starting line up with Player Boss Dan Trenkel stepping back into the side however still adopting the three centre back formation which proved successful in our Vase triumph at the weekend.
Rovers started the game with a flourish when after only 3 minutes the human dynamo that is Billy Radley put the homeside 1-0 up after some good work by Max Kent which saw Greenhouse's Matt Bakare lose his footing and allow Radley to shoot with is effort going in of the right hand post.
Greenhouse responded and on 8 minutes Harry Honesty saw his shot go wide of Dale Brightly's post.
Two minutes later Rovers doubled their advantage when some superb play by Max Kent and Dan Trenkel put Aaron Baldwin in a great position and the forward duly responded by tucking his effort under goalkeeper Mason Durrell. 2-0 to Rovers.
Greenhouse responded by digging in and they started to control the next exchanges with Billy Pike and Andrza Mantovani all going close.
On 20 minutes another attack saw big number 11 Sham Barnwell attempt a spinning volley only to make perfect connection with Max Kents head as he was trying to clear the danger.
Kent went down and had received a nasty head wound which required lengthy treatment and meant Rovers were down to 10 men until Kent re emerged with a bizzare looking head/jaw bandage combo held together with green tape. As effective as it may have been we all agreed that its probably best Jim Johnson doesnt wrap our sandwiches for our packed lunches.
Most of the remainder of the first half belonged to the visitors Mantovani going close and Harry Honesty seeing a great effort hit the top of the bar with Brightly well beaten.
On 38 minutes Max Kent had a glorious chance to score after great work by Dan Trenkel and Billy Radley left him with an open goal.
We can only imagine that Max's bandage slipped at the point he made contact with the ball as ,with the goal gaping, he put it wide of the right hand upright. What a miss!!!
We all agreed the visitors had the better of the first half with some great passing play and attacking flair and were unlucky to be 2-0 down however Rovers had a lot of joy down the left and ultimately took their chances.
Referee Christopher Mcgovern blew for half time having played quite a bit of stoppage time due to Max Kents treatment.

Rovers made one change at half time with Kent coming off and Carl Read coming on. Max must have started to feel that blow to the head.
Just the same as the first half Rovers scored again 3 minutes into it when Aaron Baldwin grabbed his second with another smart finish under the advancing Durrell to make it 3-0 Rovers.
The visitors continued with their attacking style of play and made life extremely difficult and it fell to Billy Radley to chase down most things and hustle and harry and break up their play quite effectively.
Billy was having a stormimg game proving what an important player he
has become.
On 52 Greenhouse's Harry Honesty found himself booked for a late challenge on Stu Hepburn.
The next 10 minutes was all Greenhouse as they pushed for a goal however Rovers were resilient winning crucial tackles in important areas and never really troubling Dale in goal apart from a few sceptical shots which the big keeper dealt with easily.
Greenhouse made a triple substitution on 70 minutes with Seidu, Cookey, and Martin replacing Barnwell, Mantovani, and Pike.
The game was made safe for Rovers on 75 minutes when some superb play by Ash Hawkins saw him place a delightful chip into the path of Baldwin who cooly nodded in got his hat trick. 4-0 Rovers.
The home side then made another change after Jay Smith jarred his leg and was replaced by James Pugsley. First indications are that Smith will be ok and was more precautionary.
On 78 Baldwin saw another goal bound effort superbly saved by Durrell and this wasnt the first time he had kept Rovers at bay having pulled off some super saves all evening. Fair play to him he kept smiling and was having some good banter with the guys behind the goal who had affectionately named him Jedward.
On eighty minutes Hat Trick hero Baldwin made way for Dan Hall making his second first team outing. Well played Aaron who is starting to grow in confidence.
Rovers continued to attack and a glorious chance fell to Lewis Sparrow,who wishes he could use Max Kents bandage excuse,as with the goal at his mercy put the ball wide with the outside of his foot. The chance came after some more superb Billy Radley work.We can only imagine Spazza thought he was at the other end and had to clear it.
The persistance paid off on 89 after Rovers won a free kick wide right. Dave Collins sent in a trademark free kick into the path of a charging Nick Skelton who powered home his header to wrap up a 5-0 win which really did not do justice the the visitors performance who made Rovers work hard all game.
Lots of positives to be taken from this game as up next is a tricky home tie verses the unknown quantity that are FC Romania.

Rovers- Brightly, Sparrow (C), Kent (Read), Collins, Hepburn, Skelton, Radley, Smith (Pugsley), Trenkel, Hawkins, Baldwin (Hall).
Subs not used- Ansell,Paterson.

Man of the Match- Billy Radley

Attendance- 84