Rochester United made it two wins in four days and ended SE Dons 19 game unbeaten run at the Rochester Utilities Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Michael Bett’s Rochester United faced league leaders SE Dons as they looked to close the gap at the top of the SCEFL Division One table. Both sides came into this game with victories, Rochester beating AFC Greenwich Borough and SE Dons beating Tooting Bec.
The game started evenly, the first real chance came after 6 minutes when SE Dons’ tricky winger Andre Coker cut in from the left and his shot went way over the bar.
The opening goal and Rochester’s first of the evening came after eight minutes, when a delivery from Luke Adams swung a very inviting ball in the box and Will Currie headed the ball past Dons keeper George Hill.
Antonio Gonnella’s Dons had a big shout for a penalty after thirteen minutes, the referee immediately waved away. Coker is driving towards the Rochester defence and is taken out with the ball won at some point. A huge let off for The Spartans.
Rochester let off again after the twenty-minute mark. SE Dons thought they’d equalised but again the referee and the linesman said play on. The ball was played to Dons winger Figueira, ball was fizzed low in to the Spartans box hits Rochester’s skipper, Watkins tried to get something on it to stop it going in. the ball was slowly creeping towards the line and Wilkins clears the ball, it did look over the line. Rochester has another huge let off.
Rochester United doubles their lead just before the half hour mark when a Wilkins clearance fell to the on rushing Luke Medley who beat the offside trap to round the stranded George Hilll to calmly slot into an open net.
At the break its ended 2-0 to the home side.
The second half started with pretty even chances but SE Dons grew more and more into the game and deservedly got one back just after the hour mark. Long ball was play from the back, Watkins rushes out of his area, his clearance hit Rochester defender Currie and Dons striker Aaron Watson taps the ball into an open net.
This was then the start of the SE Dons onslaught of the Rochester goal, Coker tried his luck once again by cutting in by firing over. Rochester’s defence held strong and with only a couple of big chances for the Dons at the end.
Rochester United held on for a big win over the Dons and that moves them up to second, above AFC Greenwich Borough and now just nine points behind league leaders SE Dons with five games in hand.
Full time Rochester United 2 – 1 SE Dons
Attendance: 247
Referee: Darren Stock
Rochester United: Watkins, Wilkins, Loynes, Payne, Whitaker (C), Currie, Church (Lott 71’), Adams, Medley (Dos Santos 66’), Reily (Bray 84’), Akhazzan (Parker 87’) Subs: Cheek
SE Dons: Hill, Morgan-Gritthis, McKay (Crook 90+3’), Barrett, Kamara, De Melo, Palmer (C), Reber (Teniola 61’), Figueira (Cougas-Cowin 55’), Watson, Coker (Bohui 69’) Subs: Ansah