Chambers at the double as Tuffley play out draw with Westfields
Karnell Chambers scored two as he moved onto 14 goals for the season in Tuffley Rovers’ 2-2 draw with Westfields, on Tuesday night.
The former Gloucester City and Chippenham Town man scored twice in the first twenty minutes as Rovers looked to bounce back from Saturday’s defeat against Cinderford Town.
Dan Stoneman reduced the arrears midway through the first half, before Harrison Summers levelled with just over twenty minutes left on the clock, to see the points shared at Glevum Park.
The point leaves Tuffley in 14th in the Hellenic Premier table and with three games left of their season, Neil Mustoe’s side have a chance to reach 50 points for the first time since the 2016/17 campaign.
Rovers went into the game having been unlucky in defeat against Cinderford on Saturday, and started with Billy Thomas in goal after he joined the club on loan from Swindon Supermarine for the final few games.
And it was the hosts who would strike first, with a through ball finding Chambers in on goal in the eighth minute.
Chambers took the ball in his stride and lashed the ball into the bottom corner – giving Westfields keeper, Keiron Blackburn, no chance.
It took a while for the visitors to settle into the contest and they found themselves further behind on 18 minutes, when Brad Bevan’s cross from the right was volleyed into the far corner by Chambers.
Chambers now has 14 goals in 21 appearances for Rovers and has played a massive part in an impressive season for Mustoe’s side.
Westfields responded five minutes later though, with Dan Stoneman working space on his left foot and his effort was too hot for Thomas to keep out.
Thomas was called into action just before the half hour mark, when his scuffed clearance fell to Archie Muirhead 40 yards out, but the former Chalford keeper got back to palm the resulting effort over the bar.
The rain began to fall before the break and as the second half started, Tuffley looked to weather an initial storm.
Westfields looked to restore parity, but found the hosts’ backline pretty solid and Thomas went on to make some good stops.
A corner was headed goalwards early on in the half, which Thomas did well to hold onto, but Thomas saved from Mason Godsall’s long range effort and subsequent follow up.
Harrison Summers met a left sided cross, but headed over, before Zac Powell had an effort across goal saved by Thomas.
As the changes came for both sides, Connor Walters skipped past his man down the left side for Rovers, but saw his effort stopped by Blackburn at his near post.
From there, Westfields broke forward and another ball in from the left was met by Summers, only this time his effort hit the foot of the post and tied the game up.
Moments later, Muirhead was played in on goal but snatched an effort straight at Thomas, as Westfields went hunting for the winner.
Tuffley nearly won it themselves when substitute Tyrel Roberts bounced off a defender and was in space on the left of the area, but again Blackburn saved well at his near post.
In the end both sides had to settle for a point, with both sides feeling like they could have won the game.
Tuffley move onto an all-Gloucestershire fixture at home to Fairford Town on Saturday, whilst Westfields host play-off chasing Highworth Town the same afternoon.
Tuffley Rovers: Thomas, Mann, Clifford, Pritchett, White, Alleyne, Smith, Hicks, Chambers, Bevan, Walters
Subs: Alder, Rhodes, Radford, Roberts, Lander
Westfields: Blackburn, Clarke, Evans, N Davies, Jennings, C Davies, Stoneman, Godsall, A Muirhead, Powell, Summers
Subs: Kahaki, Gwynne, Williams, Rogers, S Muirhead
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Billy Thomas (Tuffley Rovers)
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