Barton Rovers 3-0 AFC Dunstable
Barton Rovers 3-0 AFC Dunstable
Southern League Division One Central
Thursday 28th March 2024
AFC’s third game in crazy schedule of five games in 9 days plus crazy weather conditions contributed to a game to forget for the visitors.
Unable to play their passing game due to torrential wind and rain before and during the match, the OD’s struggled throughout as Barton played the conditions the better to claim the points. Seb Stacey pulled out of the starting line up due to illness so Josh Ameganvi deputised.
The wind was gale force, causing the ball to become out of control as the game started with Rovers using the conditions well to apply pressure, forcing some corners and a save from Ameganvi.
Former AFC man John Shamalo then found space on the edge of the area to shoot past the visiting keeper with 25 minutes gone.
The pitch was starting to become very muddy as the rain continued to fall. Max Rosner tried fo use the surface by skimming two powerful low free kicks at goal, which Tyler Josephs did well to turn away for a corners.
Ameganvi took a goal kick in between Rosner’s strikes at goal, which flew back 20 yards before going off for a throw in such was the force of the wind!
On the hour mark Robbie Goodman flashed a shot wide of the post for Barton before Arnold Matshazi hit one wide at the other end.
The AFC front man did have the ball in the net in the 63rd minute but a foul had already been given.
The home side doubled their lead five minutes later when another former AFC player Lucas Kirkpatrick forced his way to the byline where his cross seemed to loop up of an opponent, catch the wind and drop at another former AFC players feet in Taylor Rhiney who couldn’t miss from a yard out.
Barton’s man of match, Kirkpatrick continued to apply pressure. He shot just over in the 75th minute before Ameganvi made an excellent save six minutes later to deny him a goal.
The game got a bit feisty in the closing stages with Rhiney and Rosner both shown yellow cards for a confrontation.
Kirkpatrick killed the game early in added time following up Rhiney’s shot that came back of the post to drill a shot past Ameganvi.
It was a night to forget for AFC but credit went to skipper for the night, Ben Weyman, who played very well and never have up the cause considering the way the game was going.
Team: Ameganvi; Onginjo (Tagoe 31′); Greco; Brooks; Stirland; Rosner; Tamplin (Walsh 58′); Weyman; Holt (Ramsay 65′); Matshazi; Idiakhoa.
Subs not used: Stacey and Nicolson.
