Robins Run Riot On Home Soil

An early kick-off was no handicap for the Robins as they took all three points with a comfortable victory at Hurst Cross.

Two on-loan players were drafted into their line-up in the shape of Dana Amaral and Keilen Adams but the first half had little to recommend it until five minutes before the break when midfield debutante Amaral picked up a loose ball and rifled it past Felix Goddard from 25 yards.

The visitors were forced into early changes as Matthew Thomson was helped off and had probably held sway to that point as Harry Scarborough brought a good reaction save out of Greg Hartley from Rhys Turner’s pass and on the stroke of half time Scarborough’s effort was deflected through to Hartley after Danny Forbes had laid the ball off.

Just beforehand the other debutante Keilen Adams slipped at the vital moment as Jack Kenny crossed from Matty Regan’s break out of defence.

On the restart, a right-wing cross eventually reached Aaron Skinner who shot over on the turn but five minutes in returning captain Michael Brewster doubled the advantage after Amaral had released Ben Hough whose cross was only half-cleared.

Hartley was called into action again palming away Sheldon Green’s effort after Finlay Sinclair-Smith had retrieved the ball from the byline with Donovan Lescott hitting the side netting from the rebound.

The visitors still presented a threat going forward and after Milner had been booked for tripping Sinclair-Smith, Skinner’s cross saw Scarborough’s glancing header flash across goal.

With 20 minutes left Hough’s near post cross was cut out by Nathan Pond for a corner which saw Harry Coates’ header back eventually forced home for his second by Brewster.

Matters got somewhat fractious as Nathan Pond was booked for a cynical hack on Joe Robbins and both Hough and Finlay Sinclair-Smith both saw yellow after a clash spilled over in front of the main stand.