Brantham Athletic 0 Haverhill Rovers 0
Michael Shinn had to contend with a number of key players missing as centre half pairing Farrant and Wilderspin were missing through injury whilst Baker was unavailable for selection which resulted in young striker Alleyne being moved to centre half to partner Hunt and recent Borough signing Leon Bailey started the game in midfield.
The makeshift team then had to make a further change only minutes into the game when Bailey suffered a nasty dislocation of the finger that required him to be sent to hospital as Newnes was bought into the midfield alongside Shinn and Gardner.
Play was fairly even throughout the first half as the ball moved end to end but it was the home team who had the better of the first half chances as Archer was twice called into action whereas at the other end Weaver and Haines both had efforts at the home goal but could not break the deadlock.
The second half again saw a fairly even affair in terms of possession but this time it was Rovers who looked the more likely team to score as home keeper Hawkins was soon called into action when he did well to tip over from Weaver whilst at the other end Alleyne converted well to his defensive duties alongside Hunt as the home team were unable to trouble the Rovers goal.
Rovers continue to edge the game as Scott Kemp fired some great balls across the goal from the left and Hunt nearly got himself on the score sheet when his header hit the bottom of the Brantham post as Rovers kept the home keeper busy with a number of good saves.
With only minutes of the game remaining, and having been a mere spectator for the majority of the half, Rovers keeper Archer was then called into action to save down to his left as he kept the Rovers’ goal intake and gave his team a good away point to start the year.
TEAM: Archer, Moody, Kemp T, Shinn, Hunt, Alleyne, Haines (Longley 70), Bailey (Newnes 3), Weaver, Kemp S, Gardner
Unused subs: Stevenson, Farrant, Kicks
