Rovers humbled on their travels at Boro

Southern League Division One Central: Farnborough 4 Barton Rovers 0
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Barton Rovers were humbled by Farnborough on Saturday, although the visitors didn’t go down without a fight.

The hosts started the day in second, while Rovers were in fourth and the visitors started well on a tricky surface that cut up from the off.

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Jimmy Hartley fired wide early on, while Connor Calcutt saw his rasping effort hit the side-netting.

However, from the resulting goal kick a booming long ball forward saw Barton’s David Corran fail to deal with his man and the ball was dispatched past a helpless Tom Coulton for a wonder goal by Perry Coles on 11 minutes.

Rovers regrouped as both Hartley and Calcutt had further efforts before another defensive error allowed the Boro to double their lead with a simple Edd Smith tap in.

Jimmy Gray’s side continued to fight on and had their best spell of the game, Calcutt seeing his header well saved on the half hour mark before Hartley directed his effort wide.

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Just before the break the two linked up as Hartley’s flick on met Calcutt’s head but fell agonisingly wide of the target.

Boss Gray changed shape and personnel at half time as Corran was sacrificed and striker Michael Malcolm introduced in a more attacking line up.

The visitors should have pulled one back on 55 minutes as a goalmouth scramble saw the ball cleared off Farnborough’s line three times.

Rovers still pressed high up the field but this only allowed Boro to get a further foothold into the game and the balance of play fell firmly their way as the hosts hit the post and crossbar before adding two late goals though Nicholas Ciardini (83) and Sam Shaban (87) to firmly kill of the Rovers.

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Boss Gray said: “Two individual errors cost us the first two goals but we should have been in front by that stage if we would have taken our chances.

“We should have pulled one back early in the second period but again opportunities were wasted.

“They were a good side and deserved the win but 4-0 flatters them a bit.

“We came here with a view that a draw would be a good result and in the first half gave them a good game, sadly we didn’t match that performance in the second period.

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“It’s done now and we go again on Tuesday with a clean slate looking for a win.”

Next up for the Rovers are consecutive home game firstly against Potters Bar on Tuesday night and then Northwood at the weekend.