Brave Barton fall to late Daventry Town defeat

Brave 10-man Barton Rovers couldn’t quite hold out as they slipped to a 2-1 home defeat to Calor Southern League Division One Central play-off rivals Daventry Town on Saturday.

Blues took the lead through Jermaine Hall’s 22nd-minute goal only to concede a penalty and a have Liam McDevitt sent off for deliberate handball before the break.

But keeper Kyle Forster came to their rescue by saving the spot-kick.

Barton battled hard during the second half, but late goals by James Husband (76) and Ashley Robinson (83) the Purple Army prevail.

Assistant manager Wes Byrne said: “We coasted that game in the first half, the sending off was a real kick in the teeth for us, but our lads gave the ref something to think about, red was as harsh as it comes.

“Credit to Daventry they came at us and didn’t stop in the second half.”

Rovers made one change to their starting 11 with new signing Luke Abraham coming in for Kyle Lincoln against a Daventry side that hadn’t played in three weeks.

On a heavily-sanded pitch Rovers adapted to the conditions quickly and soon got into their attacking stride.

Ricky Case and Joe Reynolds both had great chances in the first 10 minutes and Reynolds should have opened the scoring on 15 minutes, but visiting keeper Richard Morris somehow managed to get his fingertips to his effort to push the ball round the post.

Daventry had a chance at the other end when a beaten Forster in the Rovers goal watched agonisingly as the ball sailed past him only to rebound off the post and into his arms.

From the resulting kick up field the fresh Hall raced past Daventry’s back four and slotted past Morris.

Further chances fell for Rhys Hoenes and Case as Barton continued to dominate.

Five minutes before the break though a moment of madness by McDevitt saw him deliberately handle the ball just inside the area and Daventry were awarded a penalty as McDevitt was harshly shown a straight red card.

However, the resulting penalty was saved by Forster, although Rovers were forced to play more than half the match with 10 men.

The second half saw proceedings turn in Daventry’s favour as, with their man advantage, Rovers were put on the back foot as they defended resolutely.

Daventry levelled with 14 minutes to go when the unmarked Husband nodded home a right wing cross at the back post.

With the visitors sensing victory, they grabbed it with seven minutes to go when Forster couldn’t hold Husband’s shot and Robinson tapped home the rebound.

Despite Rovers making two attacking substitutions they could do little to break Daventry’s back four down in the last 10 minutes.

Luke knight skied a shot wide and a last-gasp Rovers corner saw Bilal Hassan’s effort mopped up by keeper Morris in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

Rovers’ play-off campaign continues on Tuesday evening when they host North Greenford at Sharpenhoe Road before travelling to neighbours Dunstable on Saturday for their Bedfordshire derby.

Attendance: 100.

Star Blue: Luke Knight.