Nova FC 1-0 Malborough & Hope Cove FC

Malborough & Hope Cove went into this game looking to gain pride and respect from the team they lost to on the opening day of the season by quite a margin.

Boro made a bright start with centre midfield pair Gary Burman and Danny Gregory closing down challenges. Some last minute tackles from Mike White, Andy Lee and Dan Batchelor also kept Nova out.

The visitors then started to create chances themselves, with Nick Bowles and Harry Dawson down the wings and some long passes from Dave Parry, which had the Nova defence shaky.

Boro were taking the game to their opponents, and they had the better of the chances in the first half, with James Whitley’s shot blocked on the line and the keeper pulling off some great saves from Bowles and Wayne Kovacic.

On the half-hour a Nova attack from the left saw a superb cross, which was headed into the path of the number 10, who beat the offside trap and smashed a low drive past keeper Steve Avent.

After the break Boro played some of their best football of the season, with some slick passing from Gregory and Burman, and some well-motivated moves down the wings, they could sense a goal was coming. And it so nearly did when a corner was met by the powerful head of Kovacic but struck the woodwork and was cleared.

A few minutes later Burman picked up a loose ball in midfield and made a surging run towards goal, while holding off some late challenges, but saw his shot miss narrowly.

Some fresh legs were brought on with Rob Hutchings, Dee Dixon and James Thomas all playing a part to expose and keep out Nova. With the last chance of the match, a headed ball from the Nova defence found its way to Gregory, who unleashed a powerful volley from 25 yards that scraped the bar.

This display will send out a strong message to the division, and Boro should be in the promotion dogfight.