Tuesday night match at Eynesbury Rovers next up for Cooks.

As we started the season back in August a lot was spoken about Eynesbury Rovers and their big playing budget and on this it was assumed that they would be firm favourites to win the title next April. Indeed, they started really well and their visit to Cogenhoe in our first league game of the season saw them win 2-0, both goals coming in the first forty-five minutes. We perhaps had more of the second half, but like all prospective champions, they shut up shop and we couldn’t find a way through their rear-guard on the night. Big earner Declan Rodgers and Jordan Brown got the goals that night, but as the season has progressed, inconsistency has seen them pretty much drop out of the title race. They lie in seventh spot, but are eleven points off the lead with a game in hand, but have played more than the all the other sides fighting for top spot.
They are still one of the better sides in the league on their day, but their form hasn’t lived up to early promise as their last eight-game form guide shows, three wins, three draws and two defeats. The three wins all came against struggling sides and includes a double over second from bottom Sleaford Town and a single goal home win against Wellingborough Town.
Last season’s trip to the Alfred Hall Memorial Ground was a largely forgettable one for the Cooks and was in effect game over well before half-time. With a number of players missing on the night, the depleted Cogenhoe lads fell behind to a well taken Tom Coles goal on 18 minutes, then went 2-0 from the penalty spot after Harry Osborne had handled a goal bound effort on the line and was correctly shown the red card. Craig Smith made no mistake from the penalty spot on 28 minutes. Allan Owen finished us off just after the hour as Rovers cruised to a deserved 3-0 win. Probably only five of the Cooks squad that night will feature on Tuesday and we should have a much more balanced side to take on the challenge this time around.
We need to put Saturday’s events behind us now and concentrate on picking up points and build on our two-game winning run. Ryan Dove is on fire in front of goal and although his and Matt Long’s goals count for nothing on Saturday, the Cogenhoe dream-team have 16 and 15 goals respectively this season, although that still doesn’t add up to the 33 netted by Eynesbury’s much travelled striker Dom Lawless already this season.
Kick-off is 7-45 at the Alfred Hall Memorial Ground on Hall Lane. PE19 2SF.