Stroud and District League Division Four
Upton St Leonards 2 Wotton Rovers Reserves 3


MICHAEL Thompson’s Wotton Rovers Reserves travelled to Upton St Leonards with plenty of belief and the confidence was clear to see they started brightly.
Dave Thompson and the impressive 16-year-old Adam King took early control of the midfield and were finding Macauley McMillan and Scott Cook in the wide areas with ease.
McMillan’s pace and mazy runs caused the Upton right back trouble all afternoon and it was from one of these runs that led to the opening goal of the game.
A dangerous corner was whipped in from the left side by King which was only half cleared to Clint Hopkins who was lurking on the edge of the box.
Hopkins looked up before smashing home a trademark piledriver on his 384th appearance in the claret and blue.
A period of Wotton dominance ensued with chances being created at an alarming rate.
TJ White never let the home defence settle and any Upton attacks were quickly snuffed out by summer signings Stefan Boggis, Mitchel Scott and Derek Starkey who marshalled his defence imperiously all afternoon.
A couple of free kicks from outside the box tested young goalkeeper Jordan Schofield  but the summer signing stood firm and handled in cool fashion.
On 28 minutes, the away side doubled the lead.  Hopkins struck again with a vicious dipping drive from 25 yards which left the keeper confused.
On the stroke of half-time, though, Wotton found themselves pegged back as a low strike from the Upton number nine evaded Schofield at his far post.
Half-time came and wise words from Thompson and Wotton legend Nick Ford  settled the away side.
Opportunities continued to be created in the second-half and more good build up play from White led to Wotton increasing the lead to 3-1.
McMillan was played in once more to sprint behind the home defence and fire home which extend his hot streak of goals to five in five matches.
Tired legs however began to show and Wotton did let the home team get a consolation goal.
But King rallied the troops and led by example as Rovers stood firm to an invigorated Upton attack towards the end and held out to take the trip back down the M5 with all three points.