Baffins 7 Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1

BMRFC Media
Nov 1
2 min read

Adverse weather conditions didn't dampen Baffins spirits as Rovers roared to a third-straight victory against Bemerton Heath Harlequins.

Pete Stiles and Matt Powell were without Connor Messenbird, Jason Parish, Florjet Vucaj and Sam Britton for the clash with newly-relegated Bemerton, as they made five changes to the side that were victorious on the Isle of Wight four days prior.

Those five changes saw Matt Simm, Saul Thorpe, Charlie Bell, Danny Burroughs and Jamie Truckel all come back into the starting side.

And it took just over a minute for the latter to break the deadlock, with TRUCKEL intercepting goalkeeper Harry Dillon's loose pass and finding the bottom right corner.

Despite taking an early lead, the visitors hit back instantly, with Connor Ings finding room at the far post to tuck home.

Rovers restored their lead on 36 minutes with Bell's pinpoint delivery from a corner meeting the head of Saul THORPE, who rose highest inside the box to head into the net.

On the stroke of half-time, it was the turn of Baffins' other centre-half - this time Ed SANDERS finding the target after another well-placed delivery from Bell. Bemerton defender Jordon Matthews was sin-binned shortly after for protesting the goal to the referee.

Half-time: Baffins 3 Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1

Rovers came pouring out of the changing rooms at the start of the second 45 and TRUCKEL struck his second of the encounter, latching onto Burroughs' through ball, taking the ball around the keeper and rolling into an empty net.

And the floodgates were well and truly opened on 53 minutes as BELL - provided of two goals in the first half - had one of his own, heading home Matt Simm's cross from the right flank.

TRUCKEL's shot from inside the box was blocked and subsequently turned into the Bemerton net by a visiting defender.

And a match which rained goals continued late on as Lewis Beale was hacked down inside the penalty area. BEALE made no mistake from 12-yards, despite the best efforts from the Bemerton players using the surface water in attempt to put the forward off.

Full-time: Baffins 7 Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1