Staplehurst Monarchs 2-4 Rochester United - It's going to be a very tight league but I think our performances hopefully will take us where we want to be, says Rochester United coach Scott Penfold

Staplehurst Monarchs 2 – 4 Rochester United
Location	Jubilee Sports Ground, Headcorn Road, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0DS
Kickoff	13/10/2026 19:45

STAPLEHURST MONARCHS  2-4  ROCHESTER UNITED
Southern Counties East Football League First Division
Tuesday 13 October 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from Jubilee Sports Ground

ROCHESTER UNITED coach Scott Penfold says his side knew they needed to bring a performance that beat their local rivals to return to the Southern Counties East Football League First Division summit after 12 games.

Rochester United leapfrogged over their Medway rivals Lordswood into first-place thanks to some clinical tenth-tier finishing, as debutant Staplehurst Monarchs goalkeeper Edgar Rees conceded four of the five on-target attempts from the visitors, having joined the club from Faversham Town’s Under 19’s Academy side, with first-choice goalkeeper Steven Lawrence ruled out with a bad back.

A direct and over-reliant on set-pieces, Staplehurst Monarchs, took the lead when attacking midfielder Bradley Webb flicked in his fourth goal of the season following a three-man set-piece.

Rochester United put in a vastly improved second-half performance and striker Patrick Ward swept in his third goal of the season to restore parity at Jubilee Field, before long-throw specialist, central midfielder Connor Watson drilled in a a second.

Holding midfielder Lucas Payne lashed in a half-volley from a set-piece before targetman Mack Reilly, 22, drilled in his sixth goal of the season.

Staplehurst Monarchs scored a second with the penultimate kick of the game, as substitute Manny Cuttress stroked in his fourth goal of the season following another three-man set-piece but the quality from both sides in this derby was poor.

“I thought we were superb.  I think we started very slowly but I think we grew into the game,” said Penfold, who took charge of the side alongside Tony Whitaker with manager Andy Pierce serving the last of his three-match stadium ban.

“I think we nullified them to having limited chances, probably from set-plays.

“Second half we came out and the lads were superb. The desire, the effort to get the win was there.

“We’ve been on the receiving end of some bad officials’ decisions recently which have cost us some numbers but today the discipline was brilliant.

“Staplehurst were very organised, they’re a great team, great squad. We knew they were going to be very good with set-plays because they’ve scored a lot of their goals this season from them. They also break very well. They’re very quick on the transition.  I think we got caught a couple of times but we were lucky with the goalkeeper saving.

“I think we learnt from our mistakes and we grew into it and stopped that from happening.”

Staplehurst Monarchs manager Ian Docker added: “I said to our team before the game, ‘this is definitely a winnable match’.  I had a feeling we’d start off quite brightly. I knew they would come at us early doors and maybe our first goal came against-the-run-of-play but we knew they would put in certain performances, certain players in certain positions and we’d look to do the counter.

“I think, if I’m brutally honest, they took their chances when we didn’t. We create a couple of good chances and should’ve scored. The players’ know that, they don’t need telling, they know.

“I think that was the big difference, which is why they were in the Play-Off Final last season and they’ll definitely be up there in the top three at the end of this season.

“They’ve got players who are clinical and they kept going and they’ve done a Rochester United job from start to finish.

“We started well and second half we dropped back deep, not going to say the reasons why but we dropped back deep and even though we still had possession, our passing was poor second half, so at the end of the day we need to make sure that we regroup and go again on Saturday against Bearsted in the cup.

“There’s only been two games this season where we’ve started off badly and put in a performance, which for me was unacceptable.  Tonight’s game is a massive learning curve because we can compete against the teams in the top three, top four. We showed that against Lordswood early doors in the season.

“The League’s sort of levelling off now but we’ve shown that we can compete with the big boys. You have to call them the big boys so fair play to their management for tonight. They never gave up, the kept going and I think their used their experience to actually get the result.

“I can say it was poor defending. I can go into that. That’s between me and my coaching staff and the players.”

The Spartans’ created the first chance of the game following their first of seven corners, with four minutes and 59 seconds on the clock.

Watson swung the ball in from the right with his left-foot and often high left-back Tom Loynes steered his near-post header wide of the target.

Rochester United centre-half William Currie fouled diminutive striker Ollie Lankshear inside the Staplehurst half and the home side grabbed the lead from the resulting free-kick, with seven minutes and 53 seconds on the clock.

Freeman Rogers – who plays at the heart of a three-man central defence – drilled his right-footed free-kick forward, the ball was flicked on by Lankshear inside the penalty area and Webb flicked the ball looping over goalkeeper Christopher Swift into the top left-hand corner.

“We haven’t probably done as much as we should with set-pieces because of players resting injuries during the week and so forth. Obviously, we didn’t play on Saturday so there was a little bit of a break there, so it was good to see us start off quite well after that break,” revealed Docker.

“You can look at teams in the pub level and at Premier League level. I went to a meeting a while back and it doesn’t matter, if you can put the ball in the right areas and you’ve got willing players that are going to go and attack it better than the defenders can defend it, hit the target, you’re going to score.

“It’s always pleasing to score from a set-piece because you do work hard but it’s about that delivery and about the final finish.”

Penfold, who helped Staplehurst win the Kent County League Division Two East title tile back in 2006, added: “It was a bad start from us.  Disappointing because it’s something that we spoke about before the game that we needed to watch. That was their strong point and they’re very good at it.

“I just think that we should’ve maybe attacked the ball in our area a little bit better, a little bit organisation but after the lads learnt from it and we were superb.”

Rees proved there is a massive difference between Academy football and the National League System as he was nearly caught out when a clearance from Rochester centre-half Jack Bray sailed over his head and bounced off the top of his crossbar, as Bray smashed the ball upfield with his left boot from inside the centre-circle (11:34).

“It was a clearance! He will say it was a shot but it was a clearance,” admitted Penfold.

“He was absolutely brilliant! He got man-of-the-match today for us. He was colossal, his heading, positioning and organisation was superb!”

Docker added: “I know Jack, when I first came to Staplehurst, Jack was a key figure in the side, a lovely lad, a good player, very experienced and I think done a good job for them tonight.

“People will look at it and think is it a long ball or whatever but you can play the prettiest football in the world but put balls in areas and put balls behind teams and that can happen.

“I spoke to the goalkeeper after the game. It’s one of those wasn’t it? He could’ve caught it but he’s left it. I never thought it was going in, if I’m honest.”

The first half was poor quality from both sides, more like a Sunday League clash and both sides will have to vastly-improve when they face ninth-tier sides in the Kent Senior Trophy at the weekend, let along if they win promotion into the Premier Division next season.

Liam Wilkins drilled in a low cross from the right-wing and Watson hit a first-time left-footed drive sailing over the Staplehurst crossbar from 30-yards, before Rochester United went much closer on the half-hour mark.

Wilkins played a left-footed ball in from the right-wing close to the half-way line from the right.  Watson smashed a volley over the top of Rogers and Logan Thomson – who plays behind the front two – sent his right-footed chip sailing over the crossbar.

“The midfield was brilliant today and obviously Staplehurst compacted the midfield to try to stop us from playing and I think the second half we got a little bit more space and we found the areas that we could play in,” explained Penfold.

“It’s harder to create those chances than it is to miss so he’s done brilliant to get himself in there and it was unlucky.  On another day, that could’ve been a goal and it could’ve been different…”

Webb cut back the home side’s second corner to left-wing-back Timmy Babington, who cut inside and onto his right-foot and arrowed his angled drive sailing over the top of the far post from outside the box.

Staplehurst finally produced some football on the deck and from open play, with 42:12 on the clock.

Debutant Hicham Akhazzan picked the ball up and drove straight down the middle of the pitch before working the ball out to right-wing-back Toby Sargeant, who put in a great cross towards the back post where Samuel Ajayi hooked his sliced right-footed volley past the near-post whilst left unmarked inside the six-yard box.

“If we took those chances and I could ask your opinion but if we took those chances, I think we go on to win the game,” admitted Docker, who failed to call visiting keeper Christopher Swift into making any save before the interval.

“You’ve got to say they were really good clear-cut chances and as I said to the group after the match, that they were clinical and we weren’t.”

The game had a Rochester United feel to both sides, as Docker brought in Michael Betts (coach) in the summer, having guided the Spartans to the First Division Play-Off Final last season, losing 4-2 to SE Dons, who joined champions AFC Greenwich Borough in the Premier Division.

“It was very cagey, obviously the Staplehurst management were at Rochester, so they know how we play, the players’ we’ve got and their strengths and weaknesses,” admitted Penfold.

“I think it was just trying to sort of gage on each side, how they would set up and how they’re going to play and then second half it showed that we managed to work out their weaknesses and penetrate into those areas.”

Docker reflected on the cagey first half, adding, “We both had different formations and they had some strengths and we had strengths and both teams had weaknesses and it’s how we exploited it.

“I think our shape gave us better advantage in the first half.

“I’ve got Sam Sketchley, I’ve got Betsy (Michael Betts) being involved with Rochester. We knew what they were like and myself being involved in Rochester and we knew they were going to be cagey.

“We dropped too deep in the second half and it allowed their full-backs to step in. We played our three in midfield and it caused us problems and it’s our own doing but fair play, take nothing away from them for the result.”

Webb delivered an outswinging corner from the right and Rogers powered his free header through a crowd of players and just past the left-hand post as the small crowd hoped for much better football in the second half.

Docker said: “Obviously (what I said at half-time) it went wrong didn’t it! Obviously you’ve got to have humour!

“We were delighted with certain aspects. We knew we could improve on one or two areas. We knew that they’ve got the experience to come out. They’ve been in these positions before and got the results and unfortunately that’s two games now where we’ve been in the lead and similar things have happened.

“Not being disrespectful to Rochester at all, I don’t think they changed things too much, it was more us not doing the right things and we allowed them to step up and dominate.  Disappointing from our point of view but that’s the way it’s ended up tonight.”

Penfold added: “It was quite direct. It was we have to find a way of winning these games. We’ve played well very well over the last few weeks and maybe not got the results that we wanted, so it was find a way, work hard and when we had those opportunities, we had to take them.”

Staplehurst Monarchs missed a couple of long-range shots inside the opening five minutes, as Lankshare pulled a speculative right-footed drive harmlessly wide of the left-post from 30-yards, before Rochester centre-half Currie gave the ball away to Webb, who tried to score with a first-time 35-yard drive, which rolled towards the visiting keeper, more evidence of poor quality on the pitch.

Staplehurst Monarchs missed a glorious chance to double their lead with nine minutes and 15 seconds when Akhazzan missed the chance against his old side.

Babington was inside his own half when he drilled his right-footed long ball forward, which was flicked on by Ajayi, the ball sailed over Wilkins head and sent Akhazzan through on goal.

However, the number six lacked composure and his low left-footed shot towards the bottom right-hand corner was parried by Swift, diving low to his left.

“I mean, there’s two ways of looking at it, isn’t it,” said Docker.

“Firstly, I’ve been absolutely delighted with Hicham. He’s come on board, he’s a model professional. I’ve known Hicham for years.  I used to coach him when he was at Gillingham. He was the school teacher when I done the full-time PASE scheme at Ebbsfleet United, our youth structure.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Hicham. He’s in the twilight years now and I just felt he could come in and improve our midfield or even up top and delighted with the appearance now.

“What you’ve got to look at is if you’re in the Rochester team, you say, ‘fantastic save, great save.’  Hicham will turn round and say to you ‘it’s a poor finish, I should’ve scored,’. That’s the level what he’s been used to.  He was at Sittingbourne for many years, he’s a bit of a legend down there.

“It was a great chance and the key moments they could’ve been winners and it could’ve gone the other way but as I said they took their chances and took them very well.”

Reflecting on the big chance from the former Rochester Untied player-coach, Penfold replied: “Swifty’s been absolutely brilliant this season. It’s another save.  With Hich, obviously moving very recently, it was a nice save and a nice outcome to that move.

“It was a very big moment, that could’ve changed the game in their favour. That save probably spurred us on a little bit as well to be a little bit more tighter and work out the areas that we could play.”

Watson’s seventh and final long throw came into the Staplehurst penalty area and the ball fell to Wilkins, who’s left-footed deflected drive was comfortably saved by Rees, to his right, for his only save of the game (14:47).

Rochester United restored parity, with 16 minutes and 18 seconds on the clock – with left-sided centre-half Sam Sharp the home side’s weak link in defence.

Wilkins drilled the ball down the line, Reilly comfortably shrugged off Sharp down the right before cutting the ball back for Ward to sweep his first-time right-footed shot underneath the keeper from six-yards.

Penfold said: “It was a great move. Pat knows where the goal is and knows where he has to be on the pitch when he gets into those positions. Mack’s got so much quality, he can create those chances for others.”

Docker added: “They sniffed a chance. They took the chance. I mean Mack is a very good player. From previously involved with Charlton, I’ve worked with him as a coach at Rochester and I said to the lads how he scored, or how he set that one up first, is exactly what he’s good at.

“Sometimes when you have to hold your hands up and say you’re playing against a very good player and there’s other times you can turn round and say it was poor defending that allowed him to do that, so it all depends what side of the coin you’re on really but having worked with Mack and been with him on that field, he does that really well.”

Tagan Kray fed the ball into Lankshear who laid the ball off to Sargeant and the wing-back drilled his low angled drive towards the near-post which was kept out by Swift’s legs at the near-post.

Docker admitted: “I think if they would’ve had that chance, they would have scored and that’s not knocking my players at all.  We’ve got great lads in that changing room but it’s that clinical thing. I keep going back to that word, clinical and that’s the difference between them and us at the minute.”

But Staplehurst Monarchs’ direct style was ugly on the eye and the introduction of Rochester right-back Daniel Lott ensured the visitors’ ticked in attack.

“He’s a very good player. He was unlucky not to start tonight but coming away from home, we were looking at another angle but we know that he had the quality on the bench that he could come on and change the game,” added Penfold.

Rochester United took the lead with 21 minutes and 49 seconds on the clock, when Wilkins was allowed to cut into the box and beat three players before laying the ball off to Watson, who drilled his right-footed shot across the keeper to find the bottom far corner from 16-yards with a clinical strike.

“It was a superb goal because we’ve maybe missed that final chance and the final ball in those positions in recent weeks, so it was nice to see one of them go in and it was a matter of time we had this tyle of result,” added Penfold, who was asked why Watson hurled seven long throws into the Staplehurst box.

“We were trying to play them at their own game. We knew we’ve got strengths in the heading areas and we just though we’d try mix it up a little bit as well and try to utilise what we’ve got on the pitch.”

Docker added: “We had Connor here when I was involved loosely with the management here at Staplehurst. He’s a very good player. We’ve always respected each other and he’s shown you why he’s playing consistently well for Rochester.

“I’ve seen Wilkins do that time and time again in the season and half when I was at Rochester. But I would say great skill from him but I’ll be very disappointed in my defenders. When I say defenders, I mean the players in and around him to allow him to do that. We’ve got to turn round and say that was poor defending.”

The combative Babington chopped the ball onto his right-foot and put in a cross, which was flicked on by Luke Burdon at the near-post and Daniel Bradshaw, 35, flicked his header harmlessly wide of the far post (29:17).

With Lankshear now off the pitch, the new front two of Bradshaw and Burdon offered very little threat for Rochester, as their two centre-halves of Currie and Bray shut the door very tight.

“He (Bradshaw) might be 35, he’s still got the quality to put the ball in the back of the net, which he does so well, so we knew when he came on, we had to make sure that we had full concentration to stop that from happening,” said Penfold.

It would be fair to say that Bradshaw hasn’t been the same player since his hamstring injury during the time that Ernie Batten guide his beloved Sheppey United to The FA Cup First Round for the very first time in 2023.

“Dan’s giving us some experience, he’s giving us that little bit of knowledge with the younger players. He’s still working hard on his fitness levels. He said he was retired, he’s kind of enjoying himself again and now he’s going to get to look at his game from a different perspective as he’s got older now,” said Docker.

“But he gives us that experience and knowledge. I think the service to him wasn’t the best when he came on but still showed some touches.

“Luke Burdon – I’ve brought him on board now, he was playing local football. He’s very, very physical, rattles a few people and I think the two of them started to work quite well together.

“That’s taking nothing away from Ollie Lankshear, he’s played up front for us tonight, put in a great shift as well.”

Babington was penalised by referee Tyler Diminieux for fouling Lott on the right by-line and all the Rochester’s travelling fans were turning up their vocal support when their side scored their third goal, timed at 36 minutes and 40 seconds on the clock.

Watson delivered a left-footed free-kick towards a crowd of players at the near-post and the ball came out to an unmarked Payne, who cracked his right-footed half-volley through the crowd of players into the right-corner, as Rochester United were more of a threat down the right during their ruthless spell.

“Lucas fully deserves that. He was brilliant all game.  The coverage that he made in this game was superb and he topped it off with a goal,” added Penfold.

“We knew that with the results recently that we knew we needed to bring a performance and we wanted to win. A point (to go top of the table) was a minimum but a win was what we needed because we’ve got ambitions in this season and if we come to places like this, a very tough place with good opposition, we knew we had to come here and win.”

Docker added: “When you’re playing against teams that are good on the ball at set-pieces and you’re playing against teams that are better than you, the last thing to do is give away silly free-kicks and we’ve given away silly free-kicks in silly areas.

“We’ve allowed them to put the ball down. We’re allowing a team not to work hard for the free-kick. We’ve given cheap free-kicks away and we’re allowing players to put the ball down, you put players in positions where you want them to be to score goals.

“We had to set up to defend them and the ball’s got knocked out and he’s got onto the second ball and it’s a great finish. Paynie’s scored a lot of goals like that and we just didn’t react quickly enough to that knock down.”

Sargeant’s sixth and final long throw came in from the right and Burdon’s near-post header went over the Rochester crossbar, before ruthless Rochester United rattled in their fourth goal of the night with 43 minutes and 38 seconds on the clock.

Luis Dos Santos (substitute striker) played the ball into Wilkins, who fed a low ball into Reilly’s feet, who easily spun Sharp, before drilling his right-footed shot across the diving keeper into the bottom far corner from 22-yards.

“That sort of showed the quality that we have in those final thirds and it’s probably what we haven’t been doing recently, so when we’ve done it today, it’s really pleasing as a team and as a management to see it come off,” said Penfold.

“Mack’s got so much quality that he can do that in every game. He’s still a young lad but he gives us a lot of experience up there. He holds the ball up very well and once he does get a half-chance, there’s always a chance that it can go in the back of the net.”

Docker added: “That’s the word, clinical. I was just saying to the lads in there, when you’re playing Step Six or you’re playing in the Premier League, if you look at Bradshaw, a clinical finisher in the level of football he played, certain things that good players in whatever level they’re playing in do very well and I’ve seen him do it time and time again for Rochester when I was involved.

“You hold your hand up and you can talk about bad defending but trust me that’s a very good skill that he’s got there and we’re not the only team that he’s caused damage with that.”

Docker refused to throw his goalkeeper under the bus for letting in four of the five shots on target that he faced during this derby.

“You’ve got to look at it from a different perspective. I think you’re being a little bit unfair if I’m honest. It’s very hard. He’s a young lad. He’s come in. His tall, he’s got a good presence. He’s done the things we’ve asked him to. There may have been one where he could’ve done better with. The quality of the finishing was good.”

Staplehurst Monarchs grabbed an injury-time second goal (48:55), following another three-man set-piece, this time involving three substitutes.

Kester Jones delivered his right-footed corner in from the right, the ball was flicked on at the near-post by former Sheppey United talisman striker Bradshaw and fell to the unmarked Cuttress at the back stick and he drove his right-footed shot past the man on the line to find the bottom near corner from eight-yards.

“Look, they’re winning the game. They know they’ve won the game.  They’ve switched off but having said that it goes back to what I said to you earlier, a good quality corner. They can say it’s poor defending,” said Docker.

“We’ve got a great touch, what Dan has done for years and Manny who has come on and he’s got a point to prove because I’ve left him out for the last couple of games and he’s come on and he’s at the right place at the right time and he’s hit the target.

“If there was another 10-15 minutes to go, you don’t know. We may have come back but it was job done for them but there you go.”

Penfold added: “I think that was just the end of the game, a lack of concentration, obviously disappointed to concede another goal because I don’t think they deserved it after the second half performance that we made but we have to make sure that we’re more switched on for the 90 minutes and plus.

“What pleased me was our team spirit and actually showing our ability in playing and finding a way of winning these types of games, which are very difficult to come to. I think we showed that we’ve got another dimension that we can play and that’s how we finished on tonight.

“Disappointed with Staplehurst’s set-plays. It’s because we’ve been caught by two set-plays. It’s something that we need to work on and make sure that’s out. We’ve got the players there and we’ve got the heading ability, so I think maybe have a bit more desire to win the ball but I say that Staplehurst are very good at set-plays, so it was hard to contain them in those areas.”

Docker was asked the same question.

“What pleased me tonight, first half at times the way we pressed and we closed down, made them play it long, our passing, our short-sharp passing, our movement on and off the ball, the work-rate, I thought, after 20 minutes after we got our legs going, I thought we done well, caused them problems.

“Second half was disappointing for me because even though we huffed and puffed, we didn’t go out and do what we wanted to do. We gave the ball away too cheaply and that word, clinical, we didn’t take our chances and if we took our chances, I really believe it would’ve been a different game.”

Rochester United are at the summit tonight having picked up 25 points (eight wins, one draw and three defeats) but have played the most League games.

Lordswood (22 points from 10), Hythe Town (19 points from seven), Croydon (18 points from 10) and Sporting Club Thamesmead (17 points from nine) are in the play-off zone.

The top 10 contains Stansfeld (17 points from 10), Lewisham Borough (17 points from 11), Minster (17 points from 11), Staplehurst Monarchs (15 points – four wins, three draws and two defeats) and Greenways (13 points from 11).

“As a squad, we just take one game as it comes. It’s going to be a very tight league, there’s some very good teams in it. We go each week not looking too far.  I think when we get to the end of the season we’ll see where we sit in that table and I think our performances hopefully will take us where we want to be,” said Penfold.

“Our aspirations is always to win every football game and if that turns into a promotion that will be (great) for the club and fully deserved for the squad.”

Reflecting on his ninth-place in the pecking order and missing out on a play-off spot had they won tonight, Docker, who’s side were unbeaten in four before this game, replied: “We’ve still got one or two games to catch up, so that’s obviously three points lost tonight, so we’ve missed out on that.

“Look, you keep going, all the while you’re in the job, you keep working. You keep going. You try to bring in players to improve the side. You look at the side what shape you’re going to play, what players am I going to play? Who am I going to leave out and bring on.

“It’s still early doors. We’ll keep plugging away. There’s a lot of positives there, a lot of things I’m delighted with the lads and there’s some things which are showing now that we’re doing certain things too many times so lots of positives.”

Both sides are in Kent Senior Trophy First Round action with Staplehurst Monarchs hosting Kevin Stevens’ Bearsted here on Saturday, while Rochester United host big-spending Petts Wood & Holmesdale to Rede Court Road.

Bearsted sit in fifth-place in the Premier Division and Stevens sent Stephen Sage to Headcorn Road to scout the Monarchs tonight, while Holmesdale’s 5-1 win over second-from-bottom side Beckenham Town at the weekend saw Becks manager Adam Griffin resign after only 15 games in charge at Eden Park Avenue.

“What a good side they are. They’ve got a great management and they’ve got some good players and it will be a very tough game (against Bearsted) and if we give them chances, like tonight, they’ll score but listen we’ll get in the group chat, we’ll get the lads going. We’ll turn up Saturday. We’ll hopefully pick a team and a side that will go out there and hopefully do the club proud and we’re going to get into the next round of the hat, so let’s see how we go,” said Docker.

“I said we’re in a work in progress. I said that last season and I think the lads done extremely well last season (finishing eighth).  This season, we’re expecting more.  Obviously our chairman Mr Bowden-Brown has invested more money into the club as a whole and between me and him play-offs is the minimum.  I’m hoping to get that but with me in charge or somebody else in charge, were looking at this club as minimum in the play-offs. Is it realistic? Of course it is, but time will tell.”

Penfold added: “We go into it, we’re full of confidence and like I said we want to try to win every game and if there’s an opportunity to go far in the cup, that’s what we want to try to do because it’s a great adventure for the club, the supporters and the players.”

Both Docker and Penfold will experience the gulf in class between the Premier Division and this division, when they play their County Cup ties at the weekend.

Staplehurst Monarchs: Edgar Rees, Toby Sargeant (Kester Jones 85), Timmy Babington, Freeman Rogers, Sam Sharp, Samuel Wheeler, Hicham Akhazzan, Tagan Kray, Ollie Lankshear (Daniel Bradshaw 68), Bradley Webb (Luke Burdon 55), Samuel Ajayi (Manny Cuttress 82).
Sub: Scott Jones

Goals: Bradley Webb 8, Manny Cuttress 90

Booked: Timmy Babington 45

Sent Off:  Sam Sketchley 86 (recruitment officer, listed as coach/physio on team sheet)

Rochester United: Christopher Swift, Ben Wyness (Daniel Lott 63), Tom Loynes (Luis Dos Santos 83), Lucas Payne, William Currie, Jack Bray, Liam Wilkins, Connor Watson, Patrick Ward (Perez Goumou 70), Mack Reilly, Logan Thomson.
Subs: Tony Whitaker, Jack Reeve

Goals: Patrick Ward 62, Connor Watson 67, Lucas Payne 82, Mack Reilly 89

Booked: Lucas Payne 53, Connor Watson 69

Attendance: 97
Referee: Mr Tyler Diminieux
Assistants: Ms Katie Allen & Mr Michael Dye

Match Duration:
First Half: 48:46
Second Half: 49:26