Rovers off to a flyer
Eynesbury Rovers 2 N ton Sileby Rangers 1 EYNESBURY boss Dean Shipp was a happy man after his side got their United Counties League Division One season off to a flying start on Saturday. New captain Craig Smith netted twice in the second half to ensure vi
Eynesbury Rovers 2 N'ton Sileby Rangers 1
EYNESBURY boss Dean Shipp was a happy man after his side got their United Counties League Division One season off to a flying start on Saturday.
New captain Craig Smith netted twice in the second half to ensure victory for Rovers, despite a Sileby fightback.
The first half was a lively affair with some good football from both sides but neither team could create a clear-cut opening.
The game opened up after the break with chances at both ends.
Rovers' Kirk Kidd headed Ricky Taylor's cross against the crossbar seven minutes into the second half but it wasn't long before Eynesbury took the lead.
Most Read
- 1 Family pay tribute to brothers, 13 and 17, killed in horror BMW crash
- 2 Recap: Severe disruption on Great Northern and Thameslink trains to London
- 3 Judge makes contempt of court ruling against Camp Beagle protesters
- 4 Huge Victorian house with pool and gym on sale for £1.75m
- 5 Food delivery robots taking to streets of Cambridgeshire
- 6 Met Office weather: Yellow storm and flood warning for East of England
- 7 First episode of tractor TV show features farmer in Cambridgeshire
- 8 Jacob Crawshaw memorial football match raises more than £8,100
- 9 Man in his 40s suffers ‘life-changing injuries’ in major crash on A14
- 10 Boys, 13 and 17 killed in horror BMW crash near A47 in Peterborough
A superb crossfield ball from Neil Morris found Smith on the left edge of the penalty area. The midfielder burst his way through two defenders before burying a low shot past Alex Naylor in the Sileby goal.
Eight minutes later it looked as though Rovers would concede a penalty after Paul Morris brought down Marc Ross but the referee adjudged that the foul was outside the box. Sileby's Lee Bradley drove the resulting free kick into the defensive wall before heading over from close range a few minutes later.
On 73 minutes Smith scored his and Eynesbury's second of the match with a fine solo goal. The captain dispossessed Sileby's Nicky Daniels in midfield before racing to the edge of the box and drilling home a low drive.
Three minutes later the visitors pulled a goal back thanks to a close-range header from Gareth Errington, who then missed a good opportunity to level from six yards out.
Peter Collins had a good chance to make the game safe for Rovers in the final minute but his shot went wide of the post.
Manager Shipp said: "You can't ask for much more than three points from your opening fixture.
"It was a little bit nailbiting towards the end but we're very satisfied with the performance. Sileby are a good side, they've improved since last season and they'll definitely pick up points soon.
"We played with a brand new back four and that made it very pleasing that Ben Housego (Rovers' goalkeeper) didn't have a save to make until the last 15 minutes."
Rovers' next fixture is against Bugbrooke St Michael at Hall Road on Saturday.