Rovers suffer last-minute heartbreak - again

Barton Rovers suffered more last-minute heartache on Tuesday night as Daventry Town scored a 90th-minute winner to triumph 2-1 at Sharpenhoe Road in Evo-Stik Southern League Division One Central.

Manager Dan Kennoy was positive about the performance after the game, saying: “No-one likes to lose and when it happens in the last minute it’s even harder to take.

“Take that disappointment and analyse the performance and I think we played well. The lads showed a commitment to get back to winning ways that I have no doubt about.

“Our determination at defending set-pieces was again the only thing I would question and criticise them on. We desperately need to sort that out.”

Rovers competed for majority of the 90 minutes but were undone midway through the first half by Ashley Robinson.

The ball bounced around in the Rovers penalty area like a pinball eventually falling to Robinson who converted from close range.

George Brinkman had two excellent strikes at the Daventry goal which went narrowly off target as Rovers were denied a deserved equaliser.

Bilal Hassan then forced a great save from the Daventry keeper after the striker had nipped past his marker with 35 minutes on the clock.

Rovers should have been awarded a penalty three minutes before the break when Jonny McNamara raced through and was brought down inside the box, however their appeals for a penalty were waved away by the referee and bizarrely a goal-kick was awarded even though the linesman had flagged for a corner.

That meant Barton trailed 1-0 at the break despite having played the better football and created the better chances.

The second half continued in the same vein as Rovers managed to defend an early flurry of attacks from Daventry before starting to take control.

With 20 minutes remaining Rovers’ hard work paid off as Hassan again slipped past his marker and slotted under the advancing keeper to equalise for Barton.

Rovers sustained the pressure and it looked like only one team would go on and win the game, until Rovers’ hearts were again broken in the 90th minute, just as on Wednesday night against AFC Dunstable and the week before against Biggleswade Town.

A corner in the dying embers of the game ended up in the back of the Rovers’ net via Robinson as a deserved point was ripped from Barton’s grasp.

Kennoy laid out his plans for next season adding: “I’ve had several discussions with the Chairman and committee with regard to planning for next season.

“We’re looking to try something different in preparation for next season, it may mean a backward step for the rest of this season as we will have players coming in and out but the chairman and committee are 100 per cent behind me.

“We won’t get relegated and we won’t get promoted this season so we have to start planning now for next year if we are looking to improve. Tom Guiney signed from Bedford Town last week and made his debut last night and did well.

“We are also speaking to a couple of others that I had planned to target in the summer but I’ve chosen to start my planning now instead of pre-season when everyone is fighting for the same players.

“I hope we can bring them in before the end of the season to assess whether they can be a part of some success next season.”