BARTON BLOWN OFF COURSE

Barton and Uxbridge ended this match with honours even and a point each, that did more to ease Uxbridge’s relegation worries than enhance the Rovers play-off hopes.

The first half was goalless as both sides adapted to the blustery conditions. And it was the home side who broke the deadlock seven minutes into the second period. Barton had struggled to break down an Uxbridge attack, but when they finally cleared the ball to Adam Cunnington, the teenager then played a beautifully weighted ball into the path of the Division’s leading goalscorer, Paul Barnes, who then tucked the ball past the advancing keeper, John Peacock, for his 24th league goal of the season. When Neil Morgan put his cross-cum-shot onto the roof of the net, it looked as if the Rovers would be good enough to record their first ever league double over Uxbridge, having won 2-1 at Honeycroft on the opening day of the season. However, Uxbridge had other ideas, and when Mark Nichols received the ball in space on the edge of the box after 59 minutes, he did not hesitate in unleashing a shot into the bottom corner. The game was evenly balanced, with both sides capable of scoring a winner. It was Barton who came closest to securing all three points with just four minutes remaining. In a copycat move, Cunnington released Barnes, but this time his shot rolled across the face of the goal and agonisingly the wrong side of the far post.