There was little to choose between these teams in a tight encounter with a draw being probably the right result.

Rovers’ fourth keeper of the season, Luke Purnell, produced a good save on 5 minutes, clutching a header from visiting skipper, Steve Butler, who reacted first to Bruce Wilson’s free kick. In fact Windsor and Eton posed a threat at every set piece and on 17 minutes Jake Parsons’ corner was only partially cleared and the ball back into the area saw Michael Chennell’s header cleared off the line by Rovers’ skipper, Dan Cleverley. Rovers responded and the visitors were relieved to see Ben Lacey’s run and cross scrambled away and then Charlie Rich’s run end with a shot just wide of the post.

The home sides’ best effort in the first half came on 39 minutes as a quick throw to Rich saw the full back race into the area but his shot across goal just clipped the outside of the far post.

Robbie Claridge had a chance to give Rovers the perfect start to the second half  after James Tyrrell’s ball into the box dropped to him but his volley went wide. With 10 minutes of the second half gone Chennells missed a great chance to open the scoring but finding himself in the clear his shot across goal went wide. 

Rovers’ Neikell Plummer, found himself in a similar situation on 63 minutes after Tyrell’s clearance was collected by Claridge and a neat touch sent the striker through, but he was denied by a fine save from Windsor keeper, Rob Bullivant. Lacey headed just over the bar from Rich’s corner but it was the visitors who came closest to breaking the deadlock as both sides pressed for a winner.

Firstly Chennells’ header sent substitute, Scott Thomas, clear but he dragged his shot wide but then on 87 minutes the same player cut in from the left and saw his shot from just outside the area come off the inside of the post and bounce away to safety.

Both sides managed a further effort on target in injury time, Chennells shooting straight and Purnell and the Chris Lane forced Bullivant into a more difficult save. Try as they might the game ended all square and the teams will meet again in just two weeks for the FA trophy Preliminary Round tie at Stag Meadow.


Teams:  
Rovers: Purnell, Plummer, Rich,Tyrrell, Price, Cousins Jeffries, Lane, Claridge, D Cleverley (C), Lacey
Subs: O’Hara, Barwood, Milsom, Phillips

Windsor: Bullivant, Fagan, Parsons, Dell, Butler (C), Whartonl, Wilson, Parsons, Richardson, Chennels, Chandiram,
Subs: Seedel, Dickens, Thomas, Pearce, Mooney

Referee: Mark Derrien
Assts: Iain Bardsley / Damien Pelka

Attendance: 119

 

 

 

Star Man: Ollie Price (Rovers)