Rovers bowed out of the Velocity Cup at the hands of Ascot Utd on Tuesday night, going down to their second 2-1 defeat at The Racecourse Ground inside three weeks.
Both sides priorities clearly lie elsewhere as Ascot made a raft of changes to their regular line up, and Rovers made seven changes from the side that lost to Westfield on Friday.
Into the line up came the fit again skipper Matt Tanton and Adam Aziz, Kwabena Osei, with first starts for Jack Lillie, Francis Sey and Jeff Cobblah; Bert Lloyd, Cam Dobell and Jayden Smith, Tyrese Osbourne dropped to the bench, with Nahum Melvin-Lambert, Evangelos Empochontsif and Darnell Bromfield were all rested.
In a mirror of the league game Rovers dominated early, wasted chances and were made to pay as Ascot grew into the game and did enough to win the game.
Rovers could have taken the lead in the opening minute, Sey turning the Ascot full back inside and out before curling an effort against the post, and in the ensuing scramble Tanton saw a shot block and the final follow up by Sey went just wide of the left hand post. We continued to press and on five minutes Sey drifted beyond a couple of defenders, found Obisanya but he shot wide of the right hand post.
On eight minutes Jamal Branker did well on the left beat a couple of player but saw his shot blocked behind for a corner by Bradley Manning. Ascot were growing into the game but any ball into the area was confidently dealt with by Kacper Orlowski. Sey was having a lot of joy on the left, but his final ball was poor and from a quick break Anas Igozoulins cross shot into the area was deflected back to Orlowski by Charlie Stallard.
Ben Harris fired over when well placed, before we struck on 22 minutes. Adam Aziz was bundled over and as everybody stopped expecting a free kick (to us for the shove, or Ascot for a potential handball, depending on your support), Danyall Iqbal took possession, dribbled round four players before firing low into the bottom right.
Ascot almost levelled immediately, Orlowski looked to clear a through ball but the clearance only found Igozoulin but from a tight angle he was unable to get a shot on target.
Just before the half hour and Igozoulin found Connor Holland but Stallard and Kwabena Osei got round the loose ball and the danger was cleared. The hosts were level on 31 minutes, a great through ball from the middle of the park saw Igozoulin get beyond Tanton and fire low beyond Orlowski to square the tie up.
The hosts were now dominating and Tanton did well when once again left one on one with Igozoulin. Harris saw a soft header claimed by Orlowski and five minutes before the break Daniel Bailey really should have given Ascot the lead but planted a free header from a corner over the bar.
We went close to restoring our lead on 42 minutes, neat link up between Manning and Jeff Cobblah eventually saw the ball find Tanton on the opposite side of the pitch and the marauding full back saw his goalbound effort blocked and the sides went into the break level.
We introduced Cam Dobell and Jayden Smith at the break, with Jack Lillie and Adam Aziz making way.
Both sides had glorious chances to take the lead early in the second half. A dangerous free kick into our area dropped to Harry Grant but he saw his effort from point blank range crash against the bar. At the other end a dangerous Cobblah ball into the area was just unable to be converted by Rovers substitute Jayden Smith.
Ten minutes into the half and Lalustani took a shot from the edge of the area, and Orlowski made a tidy save from a wicked deflection. Ascot took the lead on the hour mark, a long ball forward found Aidan Payne-James and he raced clear to looped an effort over Orlowski for 2-1.
Ascot were having the better of things and deservedly lead, but we were still in the battle and almost levelled when a ball down the left released Obisanya and his looped cross was headed towards his own goal by Bailey bringing a fantastic save out of Mark Scott in the Yellas goal and minutes later Smith got beyond the backline, rounded Scott but was unable to get a shot away as Ascot defenders recovered well.
Ascot should have sealed the win five minutes from time when we failed to clear a ball into the area and a shot poked goalwards (from where I was I couldn’t tell who) struck our crossbar before being cleared and full time came shortly after, with Ascot progressing to the next round on the back of a 2-1 win.