AFC Dunstable 4-0 Barton Rovers
AFC Dunstable 4-0 Barton Rovers
Southern League Division One Central
Saturday 27th April 2024
AFC Dunstable made ten changes to the starting XI having already qualified for the play-offs as the depth of this promising squad came to fruition in this fixture with neighbours Barton Rovers.
Debuts were given to Finn Rolfe and Sean Duodu while Melvyn Lubaki also made his first appearance coming off the bench to replace Dan Tagoe. Young keeper Matthew Bonsu made the bench.
Rovers’ Matt Moloney had the first opportunity in the opening minute when he tried to lob Josh Ameganvi but his effort when just over the bar. The hosts started this game brightly though and in the 2nd minute Rolfe unleashed a superb left footed strike that Sam Fearon did well to palm away. Ten minutes later Josiah Ramsay and Rolfe had shots well defended by the visitors..
With twenty three minutes gone Rocko Tamplin almost opened the scoring when he went through on goal but was denied by Fearon. Lucas Kirkpatrick tried a speculative lob when Ameganvi came off his line to clear the ball but his shot, like Moloney’s, missed the target. He then crashed a shot of the post on 28 minutes.
Rolfe, who had a fine game, had another effort on goal blocked on the half hour mark. He then set up Duodu but his shot was deflected for a corner as the half ended goalless.
The deadlock was broken in the 53rd minute when Bruce Ovbiye-Nsang was brought down in the area by Cameron Hyde. Rico Greco made no mistake from the spot, firing the ball home.
Great defending from AFC then denied Taylor Rhiney. Duodu scored the first of his two goals in the 74th minute latching on to a through ball before finishing calmly from an angle.
Six minutes later it was 3-0 when Ovbiye-Nsang scored his first goal for the first club with another excellently taken goal. Ameganvi produced a fine save for AFC when he excellently dived at full stretch to tip Jaden Brown’s shot round the post.
With four minutes remaining Duodu capped off a man of the match performance when he beat Fearon with another fine strike.
AFC finished in third place overall in the league and will now play Waltham Abbey at home on Wednesday night in the play-off semi final, kick off 7.45pm.
Team: Ameganvi; Martin; Greco (Ackah-Sanzah 60′); Rolfe; Tagoe (Lubaki 75′); Ameyaw (Ampedu 64′); Onginjo; Ramsay; Duodu; Tamplin; Ovbiye-Nsang.
Subs not used: Bonsu and Brooks.
