Stroud & District Four

Alkerton Rangers........................ 1

Abbeymead Rovers Res................6

THE result at Snakey Lane was not representative of Alkerton’s share of possession.

With several players unavailable, home boss Kev Bond re-jigged his side with Rich Phillips and Lewis Vanstone making their debuts.

Early signs were good as Alkerton played some neat football with Kirk Wilkinson and Steve and Kev Potter posing lots of questions to their Abbeymead counterparts, and Andy Broadley sent an effort wide from a difficult position.

However, the Gloucester side delivered the opener on six minutes from a corner.

Rich Baker then had a gilt-edged chance to level matters, but he headed Wilkinson’s pinpoint left-wing cross over at the far post.

It was 0-2 on 18 minutes as a long over the top was slotted home.

Alkerton then grabbed a foothold in the game shortly afterwards when a crafty free-kick from Steve Potter found his brother Dave who swivelled and drilled home.

Quality Both sides demonstrated quality in midfield but defences were on top until just before the break when Abbeymead carved an opportunity on the right and the shot beat Alkerton keeper Charlie Henry all ends up.

In the second period the green-and-whites again took the game to their opponents and following a series of corners from Wilkinson’s delivery from the left veteran Paul Burn’s flying far-post header was held on the line by the Abbeymead custodian.

Almost immediately Lewis Vanstone sent an effort over from a tight angle. The away side then scored a fourth after poor marking at a corner.

Trying as they may Rangers just couldn’t find a way through and left themselves open to the counter-attack, and as their legs tired the more mobile Rovers front men rattled in two more before the end.