Barton Rovers break winless run against struggling Wantage

The home side started on the front foot and Victor Osobu and Charlie Smith both had chances before Nathan Tshikuna’s goal-bound effort was cleared off the line.

Wantage keeper Renell McKenzie-Lyle turned Osobu’s shot round the post and after 22 minutes Rovers were punished for their missed opportunities when Samir Regragui put Wantage in front with a fine strike from the edge of the box.

From the restart Wantage robbed Rovers of possession and Regragui should have doubled the lead, but Cooper denied him with a fine smothering save at his feet.

Osobu headed Jerome Jibodu’s cracking cross wide and then wasted another golden chance as frustration grew.

But Rovers finally got some reward for their endeavours when Osobu got on the end of a long through ball and, this time, made no mistake four minutes before half-time.

Rovers midfielder Dean Dummett might have put the home side ahead right on half-time but delayed his shot and when the ball broke loose Tshikuna fired it straight into the arms of the Wantage keeper and the sides went in 1-1 at the interval.

And just minutes into the second half the hosts were ahead when man-of-the-match Lewis Thomas headed in from Osobu’s fine corner.

Former Rover Sydney Ibie saw his shot clip the bar, but after 58 minutes, a bout of wrestling in the Wantage area led to a penalty which Connor Vincent fired in.

Four minutes later and it was game over thanks to Vincent’s powerful finish from a tremendous Osobu cross.

Furlong had two good chances to add to the scoreline, but Rovers ran out time comfortably.

Rovers: Cooper, Jibodu (Palmer 76), Jones, Smith, Sonuga, Thomas, Osobu (Griffiths 79), Dummett, Vincent, Tshikuna (Williams Jr 66), Furlong.