Kempston Rovers 4 Petersfield Town 0: NOT EVEN the heroics of stand-in goalkeeper Matt Collins could save Petersfield Town from their ninth defeat in a row at Kempston on Saturday.

The Rams’ assistant manager rolled back the years by putting on his gloves again – answering a goalkeeping emergency caused by the unavailability of the club’s regular keepers.

He fully deserved the man-of-the-match award he received from the home club after making a string of fine saves and he was not at fault for any of the goals he conceded.

The game got off to a quiet start on a pitch which had an end of season feel to it – muddy but starting to dry out so the ball would bounce and skip away from players.

The home side broke the deadlock on 22 minutes when they broke down the right hand side into space behind the Petersfield defence and when the ball was pulled back across goal from the byline, Luke Heneghan was left with the simplest of tap-ins from close range.

Collins then came to Petersfield’s rescue with a fine one handed save to push Sam Johnson’s shot across goal around the post and he then diverted Heneghan’s effort over the crossbar.

Jake Newman latched on to a long through ball but shot into the side netting once he got inside the box and Johnson’s shot was beaten away by Collins at his near post. The Rams keeper then blocked another effort by Newman before half time.

Any hopes of a second half comeback by the visitors evaporated three minutes after the break when Johnson took the ball into the left hand side of the penalty area and rode two challenges before hitting a low shot past Collins and into the net.

The Rams then rallied and they went close to pulling a goal back immediately when Max Smith broke clear on the right and sent in a low cross which Matt Andrews got to but he diverted the ball over the crossbar.

A home defender then had to turn Adam Cripps’ effort behind for a corner when he tried to fire home with an overhead kick after a free kick was partially blocked.

Kempston got their third goal on 58 minutes when they worked the ball forward down the left wing and Johnson was able to tap home the cross from close range.

Four minutes later left back Michael Lyon surged forward and went through one on one with Collins. He chipped the ball over the Petersfield keeper but when his lob bounced up off the pitch it looped over the crossbar.

Petersfield went desperately close to scoring with 15 minutes remaining when the ball was crossed into the box from the left but Andrews’ shot hit the crossbar, bounced back into play and was cleared by the home defence.

With two minutes remaining Collins pushed a fierce shot by Ash Fuller over the bar but he was beaten for a fourth time in the 90th minute. Grant Fryer was left unmarked at a corner and he powered his header home from six yards out.

Petersfield: Collins, Awford, Tucker, Green, Wycherley, Woodford, M Smith, Cripps, Connor, Enzam (Larbi), Andrews (Chunga).