Despite a decent performance Rovers slipped to a 3-1 defeat at home to Binfield, a result that heaps further pressure on the side as they strive to avoid relegation.
Rovers started brightly and after three minutes saw a goal chalked off for offside. A ball over the top ended up with Daniel Lewis and Coleridge Fubler Jr colliding with each other allowing Dan Pepple a tap into an empty net but our man was harshly adjudged offside.
Binfield grew into the game and started putting us under a little bit of pressure but without really causing our backline any problems. We continued to dominate possession and as the game ticked along were looking the most likely to open the scoring.
So, as you would expect given that, it was Binfield who struck first. A ball into our area wasn’t defended properly allowing Rahzir Smith-Jones a tap in from close range to put the visiting Moles 1-0 up. Binfield were gifted a great chance to increase their lead almost immediately. We launched a hopeful ball forward from kick off which Luke Wayborn collected in the middle of the park, his ball into the path of Sam Bartlett saw him beat the advancing Kacper Orlowski to the ball, and with the Rovers keeper in no-mans land Bartlett sliced his effort way off target and the danger was averted.
Christian Adugyamfi shrugged off Lewis on 17 minutes and found Pepple but his shot was blocked and cleared. Darnell Bromfield saw a deflected shot gathered by Fubler Jr and the keepers huge throw released Smith-Jones well inside our half, but a combination of Isaac Nkosi and Steve Sylvester-Adujua cleared the danger.
Binfield increased their lead on 25 minutes, Manny Kwatchey saw his ball down the line intercepted, Binfield broke quickly down the right and Bartlett received the ball in the area and set up Smith-Jones who fired home.
We were back in the game on 38 minutes, Ezra Agyiri bounced through a couple of challenges in the area, with the ball dropping to Pepple and the in-form striker fired low beyond Fubler Jr for 2-1. Minutes later and an Agyiri delivery from the left almost found Adugyamfi but he was just unable to connect and the visitors took a 2-1 lead into the break.
As with the first half, Rovers made a bright start to the second period but despite a lot of possession we were unable to create and meaningful chance and it was Binfield who almost increased their lead, a curled effort by Bartlett being well turned over the bar by Orlowski.
Orlowski turned Wayborns free kick onto the post on 57 minutes and Smith-Jones put a free header wide on the hour. Connor Jeanes fired goalwards on 65 minutes with the ball taking a wicked deflection off Nkosi and bringing a tidy save out of Orlowski low to his right.
Fubler Jr did well under pressure twice, clearing dangerous deliveries into the area by both Bromfield and Agyiri. With 15 to go 2Elijas Bagdonavicius saw a free kick deflected and saved by Orlowski, with the keeper turning the follow up by Rechan Esprit over the bar as Rovers continued to battle away.
Rovers should have been level with five minutes remaining, a free kick on the right was powerfully met on the volley by Isaac Kamin bringing a superb face save by Fubler Jr, almost immediately our backline was split open and Bartlett was felled in the area by Orlowski for a penalty. When you are at the bottom its the fine margins that kill you.
Smith-Jones took the kick, sending Orlowski the wrong way, and that was that a 3-1 win for the Moles.