Sunday Summary – 7th & 8th September 2019…or that was the week that was!
Various commitments have meant that we haven’t posted our usual summary over the past two weekends, so it seems right to spend a little time looking back at the last week, rather than simply confining this update to the weekend alone. Not a hugely successful week, but quite a few positives amidst all the positives!
A win, at last, for the first team on Tuesday evening, as a Ross Langworthy brace and a goal from Brett James proved enough to secure a 3-2 win over Shrivenham at Barrington Park. The game seemed to be going comfortably in Rovers’ favour, but a late Antonio Gerrish goal made it 3-2 and by the time the official’s whistle sounded, we were probably glad the game was over!
The Reserves then provided another positive on Wednesday evening, as the young squad held one of the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League title favourites, Chalford, to a 0-0 draw. Brad Newman made a couple of great saves, whilst debutant Xander Jones went close to scoring a winner.
Unfortunately, the U18s couldn’t keep the positive streak going and lost their FA Youth Cup tie 3-1. The hosts had led 2-0 but a late, late Niall Priday goal gave Rovers hope, before Cinderford Town scored in the dying seconds of the game.
When Saturday came, we had a real mixed bag of performances. The worst result of the day saw the Fifths thumped 5-0 by Minchinhampton Reserves, in Stroud League Division Five, although Will Cronshaw’s young team competed well after trailing 4-0 at half-time.
There were wins for the Fourths (Matt Stevens and Jake Anderson with the goals in a 2-1 victory at Alkerton Rangers) and the Reserves, with Ash Bird getting a GNSL hat-trick as Mike Palmer’s side triumphed 6-0 away at Taverners.
The other two Saturday games ended in a draw. Dan Boon’s third team led through Alfie Fortey’s first-half goal, before a late equaliser for hosts Wickwar Wanderers, but the real drama was at Glevum Park. The first team went 3-1 down after 81 minutes and their hopes of a result against Windsor looked dashed, until Tyreece Briscoe and Langworthy managed to conjure up goals in the 84th and 97th minute to make it 3-3.
With the Ladies’ game lost from Sunday’s schedule, after opponents Cribbs withdraw from the league, there was only one game on Sunday and it ended in a convincing win for Mark Patterson’s Veterans’ side, who beat Cheltenham Civil Service 4-1 at All Saints Academy.
