Sunday Summary – 3rd & 4th August

A weekend of learning for youngsters, as the competitive season arrives…

It was a tale of new look squads for the three games played over the weekend, as Rovers completed the full set of results, with a win, a draw and a loss from three games (two competitive fixtures and a pre-season game).

The first team commenced their Uhlsport Hellenic League, Premier Division season with a 2-2 draw, away at Virginia Water, having trailed 2-0 at half-time. Goals from debutant Dec Earwaker and substitute Luke Troke saw Rovers mount a comeback that secured a vital point from a game that they looked set to lose.

A new look reserve team squad, comprised almost entirely of U18 players, put in a decent performance against Whitecroft in the Reg Davis Memorial Cup, but lost to a comprehensive 4-1 scoreline and exited the competition. Kyle Rogers scored for Rovers, but it proved only to be a consolation, with the visitors leading 4-0 at the time.

In the only pre-season fixture of the day Will Cronshaw’s fifth team won 4-3 against Renegades Reserves, despite fielding nine 16 year olds in the line-up. Interestingly, there were 4 father & son pairings, as Cronshaw, Sean Roberts, Adam Dodsworth and Andy Blackwell-Booth all appeared alongside their sons.