Preseason Kicks Off with Strong Sunday Showing and Key Minutes Banked

Kimpton Rovers took to the artificial turf of Sandringham School in St Albans on Sunday in it’s first preseason fixture under the new incarnation against Wheathampstead Cricket Club, made up of Hertfordshire 1961 Sunday League players, and came away with many positives despite the 2-1 reverse.

Rovers gave debut outings to Thomas Bundy, Matt Hovell, Harrison Riseley, Drew Hunter and Dan Turner, the rest of the squad made up from last year’s team, including both the Managers Player of the Year, Lewis Fraser and Players Player of the Year, Lewis McCarthy.

A very even first twenty minutes that saw Alex Jode looking in menacing form after recovering from knee surgery, terrorising the home defence on several occasions but the deadlock was broken shortly before the middle of the half when a speculative shot from the edge of the box found the back of the net.  Within ten minutes Rovers were level, a Harrison Moore corner was deflected into his own goal by a Wheathampstead defender.  With just a couple of minutes of the half remaining, the cricket club boys were awarded a penalty for a foul.  The strike came back off the post, straight back to the penalty taker, who knew he couldn’t touch it again, and the quick to react Kimpton defenders got the ball out of danger.  The sides went in level at the break.

After the restart it was the home side that made wholesale changes and played most of the half on the front foot, restricting Rovers to just a few forays forward.  The cricketers could have retaken the lead several times but snatched at finishes left the sides level.  With 18 minutes left on the clock the Kimpton defence had it’s pocket-picked on the edge of the box and a rasping drive cannoned into the net off the underside of the crossbar to restore Wheathampstead’s lead.  Rovers seemed to find an extra gear as the clock began to tick down and they created a couple of decent chances only to see some last-ditch defending break the attack down.  Louis Tyrer was unlucky not to level the game minutes before the end when a leg that came out of nowhere blocked his goal bound shot and that was that.

Wheathampstead CC 2 - 1 Kimpton Rovers CFC

Incoming manager Darren Riseley was buoyed by the positives taken from the run out, calling it a solid performance.