UCL Division OneHuntingdon Town 2 Eynesbury Rovers 0 EASTER Monday s local derby at Jubilee Park was a hard-fought encounter that went to form, with Huntingdon claiming bragging rights. It was the first time in 14 games that Rovers had failed to find th

UCL Division One

Huntingdon Town 2 Eynesbury Rovers 0

EASTER Monday's local derby at Jubilee Park was a hard-fought encounter that went to form, with Huntingdon claiming bragging rights.

It was the first time in 14 games that Rovers had failed to find the back of the net as Town, bounced back from a defeat on Saturday that makes a place in the top three unlikely.

Jubilee Park ground was held in the grip of a raw gusting wind that at times made play difficult for the teams, who tried to play controlled football.

The Eynesbury management duo of Pat O'Keeffe and Al Lenihan bemoaned their side's under-par first half performance, which they felt cost them the game.

"We should have bagged a couple in the first period," said O'Keeffe. "But on the balance of play over the 90 minutes they just about shaded it."

Rovers forward Jamie Graham forced a fine save from the Town goalkeeper and then saw a tremendous volley sail inches over after making room for the shot.

Town replied through Lee Bassett and the ever-alert Chris Caswell but neither could find the target.

Ricky Dear had a half chance for Huntingdon and the visitors pressed through Chris Brown and Graham but without success.

The deadlock was finally broken two minutes before the break by Bassett after Caswell had worked an opening. He fed the ball through to Bassett who made no mistake from ten yards.

The second half saw the Hall Road men facing an increasingly gusty wind and Town pushed them deep into their own half for long periods. Caswell, Eddie Mills and Bassett had chances and in the odd breakout it was Brown who came closest for Rovers.

With the Jubilee Park defence well-marshalled by Mark Hackett and Michael Duroe, ably supported by Adam Taylor and Darren Ray, the visitors posed few problems and things got no better when they had to play out the final 20 minutes of the game with 10 men.

Having used all their substitutes an ankle injury to full back Darren Woodend forced Rovers to play with a reduced side and despite the efforts of Dan Woodhead, Laurence Revell, Sam Kingston and Ben Lawrence, Huntingdon sealed the win in injury time.

Declan Rogers was put through by Bassett and the youngster, who had an excellent game in midfield, smashed a left foot shot into the net to make the points safe.

"After Saturday's 2-1 defeat at ON Chenecks we needed a performance," said Town manager Darren Young. "We deserved something from the Chenecks game where we got caught on the break late on after Finlay Clarkson's goal had put us right back in the match.

"Against Eynesbury we shaded the game and I was pleased with the way the team played as a unit.