Kempston Rovers have enjoyed a successful festive period in Southern League Central Division One, extending their unbeaten run to four games with a fine win at St Neots Town on Tuesday evening.
Kempston Rovers have found themselves in a relegation scrap for the majority of this season, but two wins in two have opened up an 11-point gap to 19th placed Colney Heath.
Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Hertford Town, who the Walnuts have now leapfrogged was backed up with a character-filled victory in St Neots last night.
Perhaps buoyed by Tremayne Charles’ late winner on Saturday, Scott Dash’s side carried their momentum through to Rowley Park, finding themselves 2-0 up inside the first ten minutes.
Both goals came from newcomer Rafal Wielblad, the striker making the step up from the Reserves to make an instant impact with almost identical goals.
The first was a neat finish courtesy of a probing cross from Taylor Bakogeorge, with the pair teaming up again ninety seconds later to double the Kempston lead.
However, old demons reared their ugly heads a few minutes later as Kempston gifted St Neots a route back into the match as Gradi Milenge netted a free header at the back post.
On the stroke of half-time it was all square again; Myles Cowling slotting home to send the teams into the interval two apiece.
Tremayne Charles pounces again
The hosts spent the majority of the second half camped in Kempston’s final third, the Walnuts only able to fashion chances via the counter attack but neither team could find a third goal.
It wasn’t until the final five minutes where the action livened up for Kempston, as Harry Lodovica looked to have spurned their golden chance to steal the game with a misdirected header.
As the clock ticked over to 89 minutes, Kempston did get their decisive goal; Lodovica’s flick at the front post finding Tremayne Charles who guided his header into the far corner for another late winner.
It was a vital victory for Kempston Rovers’ hopes of surviving relegation, with tricky games against AFC Dunstable and a trip to Didcot Town to come in January.
Manager Scott Dash’s reaction was one of praise following a “fuming and a telling off” after giving away a two-goal lead.
“I can’t fault this group right now and love the joy of waking up out [of] the bottom three and four unbeaten.”
It has been a fine turnaround from Rovers. Their pre-Christmas form was pretty woeful, conceding 18 goals in 4 games but Dash will be hoping they can keep the points rolling in as the season heads towards the business end.
At the other end of the table, Berkhamsted closed the gap over Bedford Town at the top to two points with a comfortable 2-0 win at Didcot Town.
The Hertfordshire side still have a game in hand over Bedford Town, with the two facing off in a potential title decider at the Eyrie on Saturday 29th January.
