Rovers picked up a vital three points away at Badshot Lea on Saturday, courtesy of a debut double from Troy Walters and a screamer from Charlie Stallard.
Darren and Lee made a raft of changes from the side that had lost at Ascot in the Velocity Cup on Tuesday, with Bertie Lloyd, Darnell Bromfield, Nahum Melvin-Lambert, Tyrese Osbourne, Cam Dobell and Evangelos Empochontsif all returning to the starting line up.
Badshot started brightly and early on Kacper Orlowski claimed a deflected Toby Raggett cross as the Badshot forwards closed in. David Garlinge then burst through the heart of our midfield before being bundled over by Charlie Stallard but the hosts, still looking for that first win of the season, wasted the free kick.
Our first half chance came on seven minutes when an underhit backpass almost caught out Badshot keeper Harry Cawdron but although under pressure from Melvin-Lambert he scrambled the ball clear. Derek Luzinda then did well to get beyond Bradley Manning and tee up Jeremy Kyezu but his shot was deflected for a corner, as the hosts continued to have the better of the early exchanges.
We gradually started to get a foothold in the game and on the quarter hour good work by Danyall Iqbal saw him release Osbourne and although he got the better of Adam Payce his low cross was well defended and cleared. Orlowski then did well at the back post to clear a dangerous cross under pressure from Harvey Harry.
Just shy of the half hour and a long clearance by Orlowski was flicked on in the middle of the park to Melvin-Lambert but he dragged his shot wide of the right hand post. Rovers were starting to dominate and ten minutes before the break a flowing move involving Bromfield, Empochontsif, Stallard and Dobell ended with a final ball into Man of the Match Jeff Cobblah – he burst beyond Payce and was hauled down (even the Badshot fans agreed it was a foul), but disappointingly he was put in the book for simulation (to be fair I thought the ref was decent – actually didn’t really notice him during the game).
We missed a glorious chance on 37 minutes, a long throw by Stallard was flicked on by Melvin-Lambert only for Empochontsif to fire over from close range. Two minutes later and it was 1-0, Osbourne found Iqbal and he set the ball back to Stallard who from 25 yards crashed the ball into the top corner – both finish and celebration reminiscent of a young Stuart Pearce.
Osbourne fired over shortly after and we took a narrow 1-0 lead into the interval.
Badshot started the second half brightly and a decent move on the left ended with a low cross by Luzinda picking out Kai Allsopp but his low shot was comfortable for Orlowski. The Rovers keeper then did well ten minutes into the half smothering bravely at the feet of Allsopp, as Rovers were cut open whilst temporarily being down to ten as Manning lay in a heap on the floor following a challenge.
We acted quickly, replacing Manning with Folarin Awoleke on for his debut, and on the hour Walters came on for his debut in place of Melvin-Lambert.
Walters first input in the game saw him beat George Winkworth and fire an effort goalwards, stinging the hands of Cawdron. His second input, on 67 minutes, saw him collect a ball in the area, hold off the challenge of the defender before lobbing advancing Cawdron for a debut goal and a 2-0 lead.
Cobblah then cut inside Joe Lewis, firing goalwards and bringing a tidy low stop by Cawdron. Rovers were dominating now, and with fifteen minutes remaining fresh legs were introduced to give Badshot more to think about – Cobblah and Iqbal making way for Jayden Smith and Francis Sey. Stallard then made way for club captain Matt Tanton.
Sey did well on the left got beyond Payce and shot towards goal, the ball was blocked out to Walters six yards from goal but he was denied a second by a superb block by Cawdron.
Badshot to their credit were still attempting to get back into the game and Baback Dehghani saw a low shot held by Orlowski. Osbourne fired wide left as Rovers looked to put the cherry on the cake in stoppage time. Sey went close latching onto a low Walters cross before Rovers sealed the win deep into stoppage time. Walters picked up the ball some forty yards from goal, saw Cawdron off his line and fired a delightful effort over the keeper for 3-0 and all three points.