First Team Match Report, March 9: UCL Premier Division South - Eynesbury Rovers v Leicester Nirvana.

After a two-week lay-off due to postponed matches, Eynesbury Rovers recorded a crucial 1-0 victory over Leicester Nirvana in this battle for Premier Division survival.

It was Rovers first win in 12 league matches, a run that had seen two draws and 10 defeats.

However, this win lifted them above their opponents and Godmanchester Rovers to 17th place in the league. It also meant that they completed the ‘double’ over Nirvana having won 5-1 in Leicester back in September.

James Hall came off the subs bench in the 66th minute and just 10 minutes later scored the only goal of the game, his first for the club in his fifth appearance.

There were few chances during the game but Nirvana came close to taking the lead when a tenth minute cross was whipped in from the right wing only for Tamar Clayton-Naute to side-foot the ball over the bar.

Rovers’ best first half chance fell to the lively Dylan Surace whose low drive had to be tipped behind for a corner by Adam Binks in the visitors goal.

Eynesbury were temporarily reduced to 10 men either side of half time after Marcel Rzeszutek was sin-binned but Leicester were unable to capitalise on this one-man advantage.

Within a minute of returning to the fray in the second half Rzeszutek sent a long range shot wide of the goal.

Both sides created chances but neither goalkeeper was truly tested. In the 70th minute Eynesbury almost took the lead when a Rogers free kick was delivered to the back post and Dan Hammer’s shot came off the crossbar.

However, just six minutes later Rovers took the lead when Owen Dixon threaded the ball through to James Hall inside the penalty area and he fired it past Binks.

The visitors were unable to find a way back with their only effort being a shot from 18 yards by Mo Polli but it drifted a yard wide of the goal.

Matters got worse for Leicester when in the 96th minute Edward Bamfo was sent off for an off the ball incident that left Hammer on the ground.

Next up for Eynesbury Rovers is the long trip to Banbury on Wednesday, March 13 to play Easington Sports, kick off 7.30pm.