Radford Albion 3 V 1 Ettington Rovers Football Club

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">Back to the league this week and Ettington's trip to Radford Albion gave them a chance to close the gap at the top of the table.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">On Wednesday, Waller held a players meeting to discuss the lack of performance in recent weeks; and having addressed the problems, the lads could look forward with some optimism to today's game.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">Another bad week for the injury list, which seems to be growing at a quicker rate than Jack's beanstalk, saw changes to the line-up.&nbsp; Kevin Lawrence (groin) joining brother Craig (knee) on the list, also, Jackson (headache), Milloy (fearing the cold weather may bring about pneumonia) and Wilkins (Bryan) on holiday.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">Mark Taylor (lack of vision in the left eye) and Bartels joined Pearce on the bench, as Waller preferred himself in between the sticks.&nbsp; The return of Thompson meant Beaty returned to left back, Emerson in for Lawrence (K) at right back.&nbsp; Dodds and Brown flanking Law and Wilkins (N), and Patton in up front with Pitts for his first start of the season (and not before time).

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">Both sides started brightly and Ettington sprayed balls out to the wide men and finally looked to be playing the kind o football the Rovers' faithful have come to expect.&nbsp; Radford, with a youthful forward line also played the ball wide and with pace.&nbsp; Early indications were that the fans were in for a football treat.&nbsp; Albion had two early corners; both of which were dealt with and Rovers looked the more settled of the two sides.&nbsp; Then, on 8 minutes, disaster struck.&nbsp; An attack down the Albion left resulted in a good low cross driven into the box between goalkeeper and defenders.&nbsp; A lack of communication saw Beaty stretch out his right boot only to turn the ball into his own net.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">Ettington didn't let the heads drop and went straight on the front foot and created chances for Pitts and Patton.&nbsp; Unfortunate to be one goal down, Rovers' luck was not about to change as another Radford attack saw a mishit cross/shot take an ugly deflection off an unknowing Wright and nestle in the bottom corner of the net giving a sprawling Waller no chance for the second time in ten minutes (13).

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">Once more, Ettington didn't let the&nbsp;disappointment get to them and Law, driving his team forward, chipped a speculative effort from the edge of the box just inches wide, with the keeper scrambling across his goal in vain.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">As Rovers tried to fight their way back, they were dealt yet another blow hen after 25 minutes Emerson got his studs caught in the turf and turn his ankle.&nbsp; After a lengthy delay, he was substituted with a suspected broken ankle.&nbsp; More changes ensued with Wilkins (N) filling the gap at right back and Bartels coming into the middle.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">On 40 minutes, and with Ettington searching to get something to take into the break, it was Albion that counter-attacked; this time down the Rovers' left and Waller found himself 1 on 1 at the edge of his box.&nbsp; Parrying the first attempt and with defenders back to help, the danger looked to have passed but with Waller back-pedalling toward his goal, an ambitious chip from outside the area found itself sail into the top corner.&nbsp; Half time and Ettington 3-0 down but deserving more from the game.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">The 2nd half started with Ettington forcing early corners, only for Beaty to waste the opportunity to get the ball into the box, slicing most straight out for a goal kick.&nbsp; Albion went forward with purpose hoping to increase the lead still further, but the Rovers&rsquo; back four held firm, communicating well and shut out any chances, leaving Waller a spectator for large parts of the second half.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">Just past the hour mark Wilkins (N), having had a solid game, made way for the one eyed Taylor (M).&nbsp; With both defences snuffing out the strikers, it was left to a hopeful lobbed ball forward from Thompson down the middle of the pitch and with Law reacting faster and shoeing more determination to reach the ball than the Albion centre-backs, he stole in to head past an advancing keeper (73).&nbsp; A much-deserved goal for man-of-the-match Law, making it three in three games.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">The remaining 20 minutes had both sides battling hard and chances were being spurned at both ends, whilst it was Ettington having the better of them.&nbsp; In the dying minutes the clearest chance fell to Pitts, from probably the only successful corner to reach the penalty spot, but again the effort was scrambled off the line.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 6pt; margin-right: 6pt;">At last Ettington can be happy with the performance, and more importantly the communication, which has been so lacking recently.&nbsp; They can also count themselves very unlucky as Rovers deserved at least a draw away to a Radford side that were by no means two goals the better side on the day.

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