Chambers at the double as Tuffley come from behind to beat Fairford
Karnell Chambers scored two as Tuffley Rovers came from behind to make it two wins from two, beating winless Fairford Town 3-1 at Glevum Park.
In a dramatic second half, Chambers grabbed a brace after Harley Mustoe’s header cancelled out Alfie Presley’s first half effort.
The result sees Tuffley maintain a perfect start to the season, winning all three competitive games – whilst Fairford now have two draws and a defeat in the league, with their only win coming in the FA Cup last weekend.
Both sides have tough midweek encounters, with Mangotsfield United heading to Glevum Park on Tuesday night, whilst Fairford Town hit the road and head to Droitwich Spa.
It was another game that saw a dramatic ending, which once again will leave Fairford with a fairly bitter taste in their mouth and the feeling that they could have got more from the fixture.
But Tuffley were good value for all three points in the end, with their midfield three dominating the battle for the most part.
The game started with both sides ‘up for it’ with Dan Grieve and Karnell Chambers exchanging half chances.
Alfie Presley had the best chance of the early exchanges, but he flashed his effort across goal and wide after getting on the end of a Dan Grieve flick on.
But the longer the half wore on, the more Tuffley seized control of the content, with Kieran Alder firing wide before Alder brought out a superb save from Connor Johns down to his right.
Oli Barnes should have scored on 24 minutes, but after a clearance rebounded off Tommy Ouldridge, the former Westfields man could only hook the loose ball up into Johns’ gloves.
Harley Mustoe produced a great sliding block to deny Grieve moments later, before Johns produced a stunning save.
After Chambers’ cross from the left hit a huge bobble, the ball evaded Corcoran’s swinging boot but somehow Johns got across to claw away Barnes’ effort at the back post.
And within seconds, Fairford were ahead! Presley was found on the edge of the box and after his effort came back off the crossbar, his follow up deflected over the diving Luke Merchant.
Tuffley were very unlucky to be behind at the break, with Corey Warrington, Callum McGuirk and Kieran Alder dominating the middle of the park, but credit to Jamie Reid’s side, they came out in the second half and grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.
Just before the hour mark, Fairford saw Luke Hitchman depart with the defender trying to manage a groin strain picked up in midweek and from there Fairford continued to manage the game well.
But with just over 15 minutes to go, Tuffley punished Fairford for a Severn Sport first.
For the first time since the rule was introduced, Severn Sport saw a goal from a corner awarded from the keeper holding the ball for longer than 8 seconds.
After Johns was deemed to hold onto the ball for too long, Harley Mustoe rose highest to head home a deserved leveller.
And from there, it felt like there was only one winner.
Three minutes later, Mustoe combined with Alder, who played a delightful reverse pass through to Chambers, who rounded Johns and slotted home.
Fairford pressed for a leveller but Tuffley looked confident on the break, with Chambers and substitute Connor Walters willing runners.
The dramatic finale saw Fairford very unlucky to not be awarded a penalty, as a cross in from the right looked to strike Mustoe on the arm.
Cries for a penalty were dismissed and Mustoe cleared up to Chambers, who dribbled into the box and fired past Johns to seal the deal.
Tuffley will be delighted, whilst Fairford will feel aggrieved once again as their hunt for a first league win continues.
Tuffley Rovers: Merchant, Mustoe, Clifford, Simpson, Pritchett, McGuirk, Warrington, Alder, Chambers, Bevan, Barnes
Subs: McLean, Lynden, Creed, Walters, Yarmolenko
Fairford Town: Johns, Case, Grabe, Ouldridge, Hitchman, Corcoran, Edwards, Hall, Grieve, Presley, Chamberlain
Subs: Birkett, Pryce, Shumba, Bradbury, Mitchell
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Karnell Chambers (Tuffley Rovers)
READ MORE: Check out the list of Saturday’s results in and around Gloucestershire right here
