Brockenhurst F C 0 Baffins Milton Rovers 1 Match Report By Paul Edwards

Brockenhurst F C 0 Baffins Milton Rovers 1

Rovers returned from the New Forest with all three points, which was no more than their performance deserved.

For long periods it looked as if the all the hard work wasn't going to pay dividends, however perseverance paid off in the end when they were awarded a penalty in second half stoppage time.

Rovers started the game with the gale force wind swirling at their backs and in the opening ten minutes felt they should have had a penalty when Matt Burt climbed all over striker Jason Parish, only for Referee John Foster to rule otherwise.

Shane Cornish then sent a header from an Ashton Leigh corner wide, before Parish headed wide again under pressure from Burt.

Midway through the half and the debut making Ollie Long thought he had given the visitors the lead when his goal bound effort beat keeper Matt Taylor, only for defender Ronan Moore to be in the right place to clear off his own line.

This was followed by Cornish rasping an effort from outside the box over the top and Robbie Taw sending an effort rising over the bar.

taw then became provider when he found Parish in the box with his cross, however the striker headed over when he should have done better.

Just before the break Parish and Fadel Seibou combined with the latter seeing his effort almost diverted into his own net by Greg King, who thankfully managed to scramble the ball clear.

H / T 0-0

Despite starting the second half against the wind, it was Rovers who had the early chances and Parish was denied at the far post, before the dominant Cornish header wide.

Midway through the half a good break down the right saw Seibou in space and having got to the bye line his cross was found Long, whose effort was blocked by King and cleared.

With keeper Tony Male rarely tested he was suddenly called into the action and did well to deny James Thompson at his near post, after the striker had been found inside the box.

Still Rovers searched for the opening and both Parish and Taw threw themselves at a Seibou cross, before Parish was just unable to stretch far enough to reach yet another ball in from the right.

With minutes left Rovers excreted some real sustained pressure on the hosts goal, and when they failed to clear a Baffins attack, the ball was eventually worked to Ashton Leigh, who saw his effort deflected wide.

Almost immediately the visitors broke and when Noel McCarthy Gardner met Mo Nyang's cross he looked to have broken the deadlock with a clever flick at the near post, only for Male to somehow get his hands on the ball and deny him.

With the game heading into stoppage time, Rovers were awarded a penalty when Parish was brought down in the box by Burt.

Up stepped Ashton Leigh to rifle the spot kick past Taylor and give Rovers the points that there desire and commitment had deserved.

F/T 0-1

Baffins:- Male, Grimshaw, Burns, Cornish, A Leigh, Yates, Seibou, Wedlake, Parish, Long, Taw

Subs:- Moret, Dart, Chizhande, Blankson