Disaster in 'Port

REPORT FROM ANDY HARRIS

Even Rovers’ staunchest supporter would have realised their great run had to end sometime but few would have predicted it would end in such a disappointing fashion. Put simply they were outthought, outplayed and outclassed by a hugely impressive Gosport Borough side.

The writing was on the wall as early as the 3rd minutes as breaking at pace the hosts spread the ball wide on the left to Justin Bennett whose cross picked out Nathan Kirby who calmly lobbed keeper, Kyle Phillips, to open the scoring.

Rovers were constantly on the back foot and on 9 minutes another move down the left saw Michael Turvey fire in a great shot, which Phillips did well to tip over the bar. From the resultant corner, from the right, Rovers failed to clear and Turvey’s header was spectacularly hooked off the line by Kane Ingram.

Borough doubled their lead on 18 minutes as Bennett chased a hopeful ball down the right channel and despite posing no real threat he was brought down by a challenge from Phillips. The referee duly booked the keeper and home skipper, Chris Davis made no mistake with the penalty kick.

Rovers first clear chance came on 23 minutes as Charlie Rich crossed from the left and Robbie Claridge found some all to rare space to get in a header but it went straight to keeper, Mark Brown. The home side then broke quickly and the visitors only partially cleared the danger allowing Glen Howes a volley that fortunately went straight to Phillips.

The visitors then gifted their opponents a third goal as Chris Lane sent a pass back to Phillips, the ball appeared to bobble and the kick looped in the air to on loan striker, Ryan Gazet du Chattellier, who slotted the ball home.

Iain Harvey for Rovers and Howes for Borough both had long range efforts just clear the bar and on 39 minutes Lane’s curling free kick went just wide of the far post after Ingram had been brought down.

Borough effectively killed the game right on half time as Bennett once again produced a run and cross down the left side, which Gazet du Chattellier headed home.

Rovers were better in the second half and began well almost reducing the arrears within 3 minutes of the restart as Ingram got on the end of a Rich free kick but shot into the side netting. Matt Cooper then blazed wide from a corner. Despite enjoying more possession it was the home side that always looked the more dangerous and on 53 minutes Bennett’s pace took him clear of Alex Kite but the striker took too long over the cross, which was cut out.

Despite providing three of the goals it proved not to be Bennett’s night as on 66 minutes Gazet du Chattellier won the ball on the right and sent his strike partner clear only for Phillips to pull off a brilliant save.

Rovers grabbed what proved no more than a consolation goal on 68 minutes as Rich played a free kick forward to Cooper and his cross from the right saw Claridge win the header and although Brown got a good touch, it had enough on it to cross the line.

On 75 minutes Bennett was booked for needlessly kicking the ball away and then just minutes later he deliberately handled a ball that was going out of play to receive the inevitable second booking an the opportunity of an early hot bath.

Any hope Rovers may have had of pulling something back with numerical superiority was misplaced as apart from a Rich free kick that produced a fine save from Brown the home side were rarely troubled and comfortably held on top secure a well deserved victory.

Team: Phillips, Ball (C), Rich, Kite, Price, Harvey, Jeffries, Lane, Claridge, Cooper, Ingram (Plummer 79 mins)
Subs not used; Cousins, Milsom, Waters, Redwood

Referee: D Gregory
Assts: M Taylor / R Burton

Attendance: 166R

Star Man Ryan Gazet du Chattellier (Borough)

For an alternative view see Boro's website is at-  http://www.gosportboroughfc.com/main.htm