Ryan's crisp strike helps sink Smiths (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Ryan's crisp strike helps sink Smiths

Bourton Rvrs 3, Smiths Athletic 1

IF SATURDAY'S match achieved one thing, then it was to show that the dire lack of pitch space at Rissington Road, by some means or other, is in desperate need of being addressed.

The only feasible solution would be for some charitable soul in the local community to come up with the generous offer of lending an acre of land in the near vicinity to the Cotswolds club's base.

And, with the amount of set-aside pastures just a stone's throw from the only current pitch, it wouldn't be a request that would damage the thriving agricultural community in the area!

At the end of the Northern Senior League encounter, the pitch resembled a quagmire, the surface ripped to pieces by the incessant weather of late, and the constant activity from the club's matches and coaching activities.

Bourton, in a torrid run of form, turned in a startling chalk and cheese performance to strike back with three second half goals and halt lowly Smiths' recent revival.

The hosts were as good in the second half as they were bad in the first and, by the end of the game, they were in such control that they were producing the kind of total football that allowed centre-half Michael Hughes to be seen bombing down the right flank and whipping in telling crosses!

Smiths took the lead after barely five minutes. Bourton's sluggishness extending to Ryan Newhook on the left, who failed to track his opponent, who in turn chested down and crisply swept in a cross.

Hughes and Tim Heming then dallied on a throw and had to rely on Andrew Herbert to save the situation.

Whether it was Tony Spedding's half-time pep-talk or merely the notion that things couldn't get any worse, Rovers came out for the second half with a smile on their faces and a much improved display.

Duncan Habbitts equalised when he latched on to Heming's defence-splitting through ball before Chris Mills was chopped down for a clear penalty, for which the referee inexplicably awarded an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area.

It came to nothing as Ben Acock's drive spiralled over but, when Mills went through again and lofted an effort over the bar, he was caught in a challenge between the keeper and the last defender and this time the referee did point to the spot.

Ryan Newhook, though, duffed a weak spot-kick to the keeper's right but Matthew Winter toe-poked in the rebound.

Bourton now began to dominate and Stuart Hughes pitched in with the pass of the match to set up Mills for his long-awaited first goal for the club.

Neglecting the chance to shoot, the Rovers' skipper stabbed a delightful lofted pass across goal and Mills had the task of a simple left-footed finish to secure the points.

Bourton travel to the Forest of Dean for the first time this season this weekend when they take on mid-table Broadwell Amateurs, a side they beat in a nine-goal thriller last September.

Other result: Bredon Res 1, Bourton Rvrs Res 0