After their great cup win last week, Rovers returned to league action with a tricky away tie against Pakenham Fox.
With manager Paul Winstone absent, it was up to Geoff Green to pick up the reigns for this crucial fixture. Rovers made 3 changes from last week's side, with Geoff Green and Matt Wallis dropping to the bench and being replaced by Jamie Davis and Tim Jaggard and Dave Clarke deputising in goal for the missing Wayne Pottle.
From the very first whistle Fox's game plan was plain for all to see. As the tackles flew in Rovers knew they were going to be in for a tough afternoon. The Blues however, stuck to their game plan and tried to get the ball down and play their football. Rovers looked most likely to break the deadline as they began to find their passes, but it was the home side who took the lead, with a fine strike from the edge of the area after Rovers wasted several chances to clear their lines, from a Fox corner. The Blues kept their heads and continued to play their football despite the home side's attempts to intimidate them, and Rovers got their well deserved equaliser on the half hour mark when Tiernan Boland raced clear of the home defense to fire past the Fox keeper. Boland then found the net a few minutes later, once again racing clear but the goal was disallowed after a very dubious offside decision.
With the scores level at half-time, Rovers knew the key to claiming all 3 points was to keep their cool and not to be dragged into confrontation with their 'over excited' hosts. The Blues continued where they left off, as the 2nd half began, and within minutes of the re-start, Tiernan Boland again left the Fox back 4 for dead to slot past the home keeper, only for the goal to be chalked off again, after a very, very, very contraversial offside decision.
With Rovers still smarting over the injustice of the disallowed goal, the home side rubbed salt into the Blues wounds by going up the other end a few moments later and taking the lead for the 2nd time in the game. Rovers showed plenty of character, despite this setback and were awarded justice on the hour when Micky Cross tapped home from close range to equalise. Minutes late the Blues got their noses in front for the first time in the game, after Boland beat the back four once again, and more importantly the home linesman, to put Rovers 3-2 up. As the tackles continued to fly in, Rovers looked to have made the game safe when Timothy Hodge was brought down as he rounded the home keeper and Boland stepped up to complete his hatrick from the penalty spot. With the game seemingly under their control, Rovers were made to sweat out the final 10 minutes after Fox pulled a goal back to make the score 4-3. The Blues managed to hold onto their lead and justifiably claim all 3 points, as the referee brought the bad tempered affair to an end.
The win sees Rovers very much back in the promotion race as they prepare for another tricky fixture, away to Black Boy FC next weekend.
Rovers
