Rovers pay for wasted chances they are they are held by Wantage Town

Barton Rovers began their 2021/22 Southern League Division One Central season with a 1-1 draw at Wantage Town on Saturday.

As expected, with so long a Covid-induced gap between competitive football for both sides, a cagey opening few minutes ensued, although it was Rovers who took the attacking initiative with Victor Osobu blazing his shot over from Martell Powell’s pass after just two minutes play.

Tony Burnett and Bradley Bell then passed up scoring opportunities for the visitors following a goalmouth scramble, as the home side burst into life briefly with nine minutes gone when Joshua Elms fired well wide of the target.

Rovers were a constant threat on the attack and created an opening for Chris Regis, but home keeper Joseph Gorman was quick off his line to block.

Barton did make the breakthrough with 20 minutes gone when Charlie Smith’s corner was worked back into the box via the combined efforts of Osobu and Regis, centre-back Lewis Thomas finding the net from six yards.

The hosts goal then led something of a charmed life thanks to some excellent goalkeeping and a deal of profligacy from the Rovers attackers, creating and wasting so many scoring chances, notably on 24 minutes when Osobu contrived to hit the post when clean through.

Moments later, Bell crashed a Jay Palmer cross into the side netting when it looked easier to find the back of the net, as both Bell, Burnett and Osobu all wasted further opportunities ahead of the half time break.

The question on all Rovers fans’ minds was would they be made to pay for those missed chances and the answer came just two minutes into the second half when Elms got free on the Wantage left and cut in to fire a low shot across Rovers keeper Kyle Forster and grab an equaliser very much against the run of play.

Levelling the game up certainly spurred the home side into action and they enjoyed a good spell of possession but without calling the Rovers defence into any serious action.

Instead, Barton gathered themselves and got back on the attack but the scoring malaise of the first half continued to haunt the visitors with multiple on-target efforts by Regis, Smith and Osobu all saved by the outstanding home keeper.

A brief respite for the overworked Wantage backline came with a corner on 80 minutes which right-back Lewis Crosbie headed well wide before a Smith free-kick for Rovers in the last minute saw Kai Phelan poke a shot over the bar.

The Rovers management and players will be hoping to improve on this showing this evening with North Leigh the visitors to Sharpenhoe Road.

Barton: Forster, Palmer, Scott-Culkin, Phelan, Thomas, Smith, Powell, Bell, Regis, Burnett (Knight 80), Osobu (Lee 74).