Rovers turned in their worst performance of the Salmon/Flavin era when slumping to a hugely disappointing 2-0 defeat away at previously winless Binfield. There were several changes to the side that had drawn with Harrow Borough last time out, Luke Ige was unavailable, Nahum Melvin-Lambert dropped to the bench and Evangelos Empochontsif was suspended. Into the line up came Cam Dobell, Emmanuel Kwatchey (on debut) and Troy Walters.
For a side that had conceded fourteen in their last two games Binfield showed no signs of a lack of confidence and started brightly penning us back into our defensive third for much of the opening period, although they had failed to trouble Kacper Orlowski in our goal, Tone Glenn Kusel-Gabriels free kick drifting wide of the left hand post being their clearest chance.
We gradually got into the game and a delightful ball out to the left from Noah Africa found Jeff Cobblah but his low cross-shot was hooked clear by Josh McMenemy. Binfield were still holding the upper hand but both sides were struggling to retain possession with all to often passes going astray. We had a tidy chance of the quarter hour, a Tyrese Osbourne corner being headed goalwards by Charlie Stallard before being tipped over by Coleridge Fubler Jr.
Back at the other end and a dangerous cross by Jamie Hilton was headed goalwards by Kickie Dzimba before being hooked clear by Charlie Stallard. Jayden Smith then whipped in a dangerous cross which look poised to reach Cobblah only for Luke Wayborn to head clear. We were having our best spell of the game and a succession of corners and deliveries into the area were well defended by the Binfield backline.
Midway through the half and neat link up between Africa and Smith ended up with a superb challenge by Wayborn clearing the ball away for a corner which was well dealt with by Fubler Jr.
Kusel-Gabriel and Theo Pennicott-Bowen then combined to open us up on the right and the low cross into the area was well defended by Stallard. From the resultant corner McMenemy drilled a decent effort just over the crossbar.
Binfield took the lead on 35 minutes with a goal that should have been prevented by Rovers. Losing possession in the middle of the park, Darnell Bromfield and Osbourne put in a couple of half hearted challenges, which eventually led to Hilton floating a ball into an area behind Stallard; Orlowski came flying into no-mans land, Dzimba beat him to the ball, rounded Stallard and despite captain Bert Lloyds best efforts the ball hit the back of the net for 1-0.
Five minutes from the break and Dobell jinked between a couple of defenders before being hauled down. From the free kick Fubler Jr did well to clear the danger. As the half drew to a close, Walters got beyond the backline, bringing a tidy stop from Fubler Jr. We ended the half on top with Cobblah seeing a shot blocked and Africa firing wide from a tight angle, but the Moles took a 1-0 lead into the break.
The second half was a dismal affair, for the opening 15 minutes so little happened, other than misplaced/misdirected or under/over hit passes that my notes mentioned just two substitutions for us, with and replacing …
Midway through the half and the impressive Wayborn did well to stop Africa getting a shot away. Ten minutes from time and from our long throw Wayborn managed to head clear, Binfield broke quickly and a ball to the edge of the area ended with Hilton firing high and wide. Five minutes from time and a free kick into the area was half cleared, Africa decided against a shot and found Walters but he curled his effort over the bar.
It was game up in the 88th minute, a soft free kick from 30 yards by Daniel Fosu was fumbled by Orlowski and forced home by Dzimba for 2-0 and all three points for the Moles.
For Rovers it was a shocking and unexpected performance after a period of much improved and competitive performances over the last three or four games.
Someone said last week that the game was a tremendous advert for Step 4 football, honestly if the same person watched this week he would have said it was a bad advert for Step 6.