Eynesbury Rovers 2-1 Dunstable Town 14th December 2019 Written by Patrick MacKay Picture from Robert Blackman. With a much-changed line-up after last weeks victory over London Colney, including a first appearance for centre back Sam McClelland, a dominant second half display couldn't overturn a first half defecit. Cam Brooks had a busy start to the game, when an early free kick reached him in the box, but he was unable to direct the ball anywhere near the target. Shortly afterwards, it was Brooks whose errant free kick gave Rovers the chance to attack, winning two corners in succession, the second of which was headed away by Seb Smith. With quarter of an hour played, Khy Smith-Reid showed a flash of skill before dinking a cross on to the head of an unmarked Harry Shepherd, who put his header wide. But it was the home side who were having more possession and showing more attacking threat, and with nineteen minutes on the clock, the Dunstable backline was breached, with a corner from the left reaching the back post before being turned in from close range by the foot of Dave Baker. Rovers looked to turn the screw after taking the lead, and when Seb Smith managed to cut out a dangerous ball over the top, the wave of pressure came right back at the visitors, with goalkeeper Dan Gould called into action, making a fine save from a shot bound for the corner of the goal. Smith-Reid and Joe Hankins, two of Town's main attacking outlets in recent weeks, again linked up well before sliding the ball into the path of Jack Harvey, whose shot was well blocked by the Eynesbury defender. Just before the half-hour mark, Shepherd spurned the chance to level things, heading wide from a great Luke Little cross. Minutes later, Town were punished, giving away a penalty after Eynesbury had dispossessed Dunstable in the middle of the park, and Ash Fuller despatched capably, sending Gould the wrong way to double the home team's advantage. A chance for Hankins in the closing stages of the first half saw the ball get frustratingly stuck beaneath his feet, but Dunstable kept going and in added time were rewarded. With Hankins at the heart of a quick counter attack, a cross from the right was deflected onto the post, and agonisingly across the goalline, but Hankins was there following in, to make sure the defecit was halved before half time. A resurgent Dunstable emerged for the second half, and got on the front foot in their search for a leveller. Chances for Shepherd and Hankins came to nothing before a twenty-five yarder from Harvey was sent narrowly wide of the mark. With the Blues searching for a goal, they allowed chances for Eynesbury too, Jordan Brown spurned two good chances before also hitting the post. Hankins was again showing his threat with twenty minutes to go, showing good strength and turning well from a Dan Blackman long ball, but his eventual shot was saved well by the legs of the keeper. Jamie Greygoose in the Rovers goal was in fine form, and once again denied Town when a Blackman daisy-cutter was redirected by the toe of Hankins, forcing Greygoose to change direction to make a fantastic save. After a good second half display against a decent Eynesbury side, Dunstable travel to Baldock Town on Saturday afternoon.
