Chambers double sees Tuffley extend home run
Karnell Chambers scored two as Tuffley Rovers claimed a 3-0 win over local rivals Brimscombe & Thrupp, on Tuesday night.
After a goalless first half, Chambers struck twice before a late Brad Bevan effort sealed the deal for Neil Mustoe’s side.
The result sees Tuffley extend their unbeaten run at home to four games – having claimed wins over Roman Glass and Lydney Town and a 2-2 draw with Worcester Raiders at the end of February.
Rovers are now mathematically safe for another season – although relegation has seemed unlikely for months.
Since two defeats at the turn of the year, Mustoe’s men have produced a great run over the last nine league matches – only losing on two occasions and claiming four great wins.
Again, whilst unlikely due to how many games they have left in such a short period of time, Brimscombe & Thrupp’s play-off chances have been dented by the defeat.
With the first day of the Cheltenham Festival finished, it was the Lilywhites who weren’t at the races, with a really disjointed performance.
Sam Prior’s men couldn’t break down the resilient Tuffley back line, with their best chances a cross from Josh Jones which nearly caught out Robin Hoffland and a Jonty Welch effort, which was curled over.
Substitute Jayden Stratford also went close at 2-0, but fired just wide from the left side of the area.
Tuffley’s best chances of the first half saw Kieran Alder and Jake White denied by Gav Jones, and Henry Birkett curling over from just outside the box.
But inside the first ten minutes of the second half, the hosts struck the crucial first blow.
Jake White’s dinked ball in from the left was superbly taken into his path by Chambers, and the forward scooped the effort past Jones as he was falling.
Chambers went close to a second just after the hour mark, but after dribbling nearly 40 yards, saw his effort palmed out for a corner by Jones.
From the resulting corner, Mark Pritchett headed down and Chambers hooked home from close range.
White produced another assist in the closing stages, skipping past his man and pulling across the six yard box for Brad Bevan to tap home and secure a convincing win.
Next up for Tuffley is another all-Gloucestershire affair, as they head to Cinderford Town on Saturday, whilst Brimscombe head to Royal Wootton Bassett Town.
Tuffley Rovers: Hoffland, Joel White, Mann, Pritchett, Clifford, Birkett, Jake White, Alder, Martin, Chambers, Walters
Subs: Hicks, Smith, Shyamapant, Bevan, Radford
Brimscombe & Thrupp: G Jones, Folkes, J Jones, Turner, Simpson, Deakin, Freeman, Welch, Hughes, Harper, Price
Subs: Pitt, Stratford, Newman, Aitkenhead, Prior
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Karnell Chambers (Tuffley Rovers)
READ MORE: Check out the list of fixtures in and around Gloucestershire this Saturday right here
