Toddington Rovers U16 v Bedford Park Rangers

Score 4-2 win

Scorers Tom, Darren (2), David　

Today’s game was a real test we knew we were three key players short due to half term (only one letting us know this before free week deadline requirement) and Micky being out with an injury picked up last week putting him out long term, but when players started getting ill during the week and some players still carrying long term injuries the day looked very bleak.

We were without our goal keeper Rob today so bravely or stupidly Northy offered to stand in between the sticks and Jack was across the Channel partying/holidaying with mates from school so our normal centre backs were replaced by Tom carrying an on going hip problem and Brad with a knee problem but with Aiden and Stevie filling in the sides the back four looked good. Midfield saw Darren on his usual Left Hand wing and Louis on the Right with LD and Peck filling the centre of the park. Which left David who got of his sick bed with every bit possible aching alone upfront as Marc was away sunning himself at Nanny’s on Clacton Pier.

The game started at a quick pace with Rovers surprisingly dominating the opening period. We created a number of chances to be denied by BD Keeper. BD were quick to attack but our back four kept an excellent line catching BD strike force off side time and time again apart from once when two players broke the offside trap high up the pitch slotting the ball past Northy going goal bound just to see his team mate who had ventured into an offside position unneedily toe punting the ball into the back of the net making the goal offside.

Our opening goal game on approx 30 mins when Darren had a free kick which curled into the 6 yard box which was semi cleared by BD Park which bounced in front of Tom who struck a half volley which deflected off a defender to nestle into the back of the net. BD Park responded within 5 mins with a weak/gifted goal straight from our goal kick to make the half time score 1-1.

Second half saw Rovers steam out of the changing rooms to quickly create 2 goals within the first ten minutes of the second half. Darren scored both of these goals to put him on the score sheet. The first of these came from good work from Peck holding a player off of Darren allowing him space to put the ball in the back of the net using the outside of his left boot. The second of these was outstanding which was created by a long ball challenged by David which bounced across into Darren’s path with a half volley which screamed into the back of the net.

BD Park responded with some force full play which was kept at bay by some excellent team work from Rovers. We don’t like to do things easy we allowed BD Park a second goal with 10 mins to go making the score 3-2. We again stepped up a gear playing some excellent teamwork allowing David access to the ball to cut in from the left taking the ball around three players to curl in a long shot over the head of the well beaten BD Park keeper.

Overall an excellent result after it looked at one point we were going to have to forfeit the game due to a lack of players but the team we did have gelled together making it impossible for BD Park to break excellent team work created by Rovers.

The only disappointing part of the afternoon was at the end of the game when a BD Park player decided to boot one of our match balls over the fences into Wentworth Gardens well after the final whistle (anyone who finds it please return to the park next Sunday pm) and the disrespect from BD Park players and a BD Park Coach to our linesman.