Alresford Town FC 0 Baffins Milton Rovers FC 0 Match Report

Alresford Town FC 0 Baffins Milton Rovers FC 0

Baffins journey in the FA Cup lives another day, having secured a replay at the PMC Stadium on Wednesday night, but it come at heavy cost as they lost their skipper Shane Cornish, with a broken shine after a nasty challenge early in the game.

Despite the set back, on a casinos Rovers rode their luck in the opening forty five minutes and having settled came out for the second half and played the football they are known for, and but for some poor finishing could have won the game.

The early warning signs were there when in the opening minutes the ball was played long to Craig McAllister, whose lay for George Hallahan was perfect, however his finishing wasn't as he blazed over the top.

Minutes later and Duarte Martins was given time down the left and crossed deep for Hallahan, whose effort was saved at the far post by Cameron Scott.

With just over ten minutes of the game gone Baffins lost the services of Shane Cornish, who was stretchered from the pitch, after a nasty high challenge from Hallahan, that somehow referee John Foster chose to ignore.

Having reshuffled the pack, Rovers settled and started to play some neat football, with the hosts still happy to persist with their more direct long ball style and when Jason Parish and George Way combined with Callum Dart, he fired wide of the post from outside the box.

Minutes later and Way combined with Tommy Tierney, who in turn feedDart and this time his effort was turned behind by Declan McCartney in this hosts goal.

Tierney then presented the hosts and in particular Hallahan with a chance in front of goal, when his attempted back pass was intercepted, but thankfully Hallahan's effort was fired over the top.

Just before the break Hallahan switched the ball from the left to the right for Martins, who volleyed his effort wide at the far post.

H / T 0-0

Just as the hosts had threatened early in the first half, Baffins did in the second and Dart was only denied by the woodwork, as he curled a red kick from outside the box round the wall with McCartney well beaten.

Minutes later and substitute Alex Andrews combined with Parish on the left and when his shot was deflected nicely into the path of Dale Mason, he seemed certain to score from close range, but somehow managed to guide his effort the wrong side of the post.

Mason was again involved in Baffins next attack and having received a cross field ball from Brandon Miller, his effort was deflected over the top.

Just on the hour and Andrews and Parish again combined on the left, with the strikers low cross struck goal wards by Dart, blocked before being scrambled clear.

Having been denied by the woodwork at one end, it became Baffins saviour at the other end when McAllister saw his header from a Craig Harding cross, hit the post and go wide.

Rovers were almost caught out by a hopeful punt forward from Liam Hibered, when his long ball was allowed to bounce in the box, before sailing wide.

Still Rovers looked for the opening goal and when Dart and Mason combined to feed Parish, he lifted his effort from inside the box over the top.

Minutes later and Parish should have combined with Dart, who was in space just I side the box, however instead of cutting the ball back, Parish elected to cross deep and the ball was cleared.

Rovers looked the more likeliest to score late in the game and when a corner was cleared out to Dart, his effort back into the crowded box was deflected wide.

Late in the game and Way lifted an effort from the angle of the box over the top, before Corey Burns and Parish combined to find Tierney who fired wide, much to the disappointment of the travelling support.

F/T 0-0

Baffins:-Scott, Burns, Miller, Glen, Haly, Cornish, Tierney, Way, Parish,Dart, Mason

Subs:- Dean, Moret, Kamara, Taw, Williams, Andrews, Burgess

Updated 16:16 - 29 Aug 2019 by Julio Perez