Rotten Rovers crash out of the FA Trophy

A poor first half performance from Barton Rovers saw them crash out of the FA Trophy at the preliminary round stage on Saturday as they lost 3-0 at home to Peacehaven & Telscombe.

Lloyd Cotton’s brace on eight and 38 minutes was punctuated by Ash Jones’ 11th-minute strike as the visitors eased into the next round at Sharpenhoe Road.

Rovers boss Dan Kennoy said: “Put simply the performance today was below par.

“We named only one forced change from the Boreham Wood games so I can’t explain how the performances were so chalk and cheese.

“We need to put this performance right on Tuesday night at North Greenford United.”

Barton looked a shadow of the team that played so well to force a replay against Boreham Wood as Rovers fell behind after only eight minutes when Cotton’s deflected effort beat Grant Beckwith.

Three minutes later Peavehaven added their second when a combination of sloppy Barton defending and Beckwith’s misjudgement allowed Jones a simple finish.

Already the game looked like it might beyond the hosts, who finally started to respond.

Bobby Dance made the visiting keeper work with a shot, but Peacehaven all but secured victory five minutes before the break with another neat finish from Cotton.

Peacehaven controlled the second half with a simple gameplan and comfortably saw out victory as Barton rarely tested last year’s Sussex County League champions.

Barton go to North Greenford United in Calor Southern League Division One Central on Tuesday, visit Marlow on Saturday and on Tuesday week host Royston Town in the first round of the Red Insure Cup.

Attendance: 90.