Rovers lift Priaulx Cup after concluding draw
A SUNNY Saturday afternoon was definitely preferable for Rovers’ Priaulx title celebrations compared to the dismal conditions in which they sealed the league at Port Soif on Tuesday evening, but the game which preceded the trophy lift will not live long in the memories of the Port Soif faithful.
Rovers were applauded on to the field by their opposition but thereafter they gave them nothing at all and fully deserved their point for a 2-2 draw, which lifted them into fifth place in the table.
Within five minutes Sylvans were in front.
Rovers failed to clear a right wing cross and when the ball fell to Euan Melrose, he fired back across Adam Bullock and into the far corner.
Rovers were often at sixes and sevens at the back as youthful Sylvans, ditching their usual 3-5-2 for a more orthodox 4-4-2, which gave them numbers in central midfield, consistently harassed the champions and gave little away.
On 21 minutes Simon Arnold got goalside of Louis Falla and though Bullock saved well with his legs, the ball only rebounded back to Melrose, who lifted a perfectly-judged finish beneath the crossbar from 25 yards for 2-0.
Rovers responded within 60 seconds, Max Simpson-Cohen, bright throughout, cut in from the left, headed towards the six-yard box and slipped the ball to Martin Savident right in front of goal.
Savident could not sort his feet out but the ball rebounded to Simpson-Cohen who nudged it over the line with the outside of his boot.
But Rovers could not silence the home side. Colton Fletcher deflected Arnold’s goal-bound effort on to the foot of the post before Melrose passed up a decent chance for his hat-trick off the same upright.
And on the stroke of half-time Simpson-Cohen, Rovers’ top scorer for the season, grabbed the equaliser, as Falla headed a corner back across goal and he nipped in to finish with his forehead.
The best chance of the second half fell early on to young Sylvans midfielder Ben Le Prevost, one-on-one with Bullock, but he could only hit the goalkeeper’s legs.
Simpson-Cohen, George Clayton and Dale Webb all had chances for Rovers, Batiste saving frequently with his feet, while Sylvans’ best efforts ended with Fletcher hauling down James Ravenscroft on the break, and Melrose tumbling in the box for no reward except a 10-minute sin-binning for his reaction.
A point apiece was ultimately fair reward for both sides while Rovers then claimed the ultimate prize they had come for over a season of endeavour, the Priaulx Cup, collected by joint captains Aidan McKay and the injured Tobi Oluborode, who had returned to the island for the weekend, having moved back to London earlier in the month.
