Rovers pegged back by Beaconsfield SYCOB

Jermaine Hall had put the hosts ahead after 20 minutes, only for Brad Hewitt to level and earn a share of the spoils for the visitors with 15 minutes to go.

On a pitch that could be best described as heavy, the Rovers groundstaff had worked tirelessly too get the game on, with the investment of new pitch covers paying immediate dividends.

The game started at a rate of knots with Rovers in the ascendancy and coping with the tough conditions better than the visitors.

Ricky Case looked on a mission for Barton as he saw his shot saved by James Reading.

The traffic was mainly one-way and this resulted in the breakthrough on 20 minutes when a deft ball from Kevin Kilroy found Hall running through to slot past the onrushing keeper.

Rovers kept up the pressure and Case should have extended the lead minutes later but decided to take a touch instead of shooting and his shot was snuffed out by some last gasp defending.

Beaconsfield pushed for an equaliser before the interval but were thwarted by Rovers’ stopper Kyle Forster.

First he saved a fine Brian Haule long range effort and then during a six yard box mêlée, he somehow managed to keep the score at 1-0.

In the second half, the visitors came out fired up as Forster and the Barton back four had plenty of work to do.

Nathan Webb and Haule got control of the game as Haule saw an effort cleared off the line and then Forster palmed his fierce drive around the post.

The equaliser finally arrived on 75 minutes though when an unmarked Hewitt rose highest to steer home a floated cross into the net.

Both sides battled it out for the all important next goal, as Rovers wasted two free kicks from great positions.

Barton’s Paul Andrews came to the rescue at the other end to clear a scrambled effort from the line, although Rovers could hve nicked it at the death when a great ball from Luke Knight was met by Case but he failed to hit the target.

The result saw Barton now one point adrift of the play-off places, but with games in hand on all of the top five sides as assistant manager Wes Byrne said “The lads did great in the conditions this evening and all credit to the ground staff for getting the game on.

“I thought we could have edged it towards the end as Beaconsfield tired in the last 10 but I couldn’t fault any of the lads, they gave their all.”

Barton are now away to Egham on Saturday and travel to Uxbridge on Tuesday night.