New Street were beaten 5-0 by Baffins Milton Rovers away from home in a Premier Division match on Tuesay, September 19, writes John Gorman.

Street were without Shaun Dallimore, Matt Scott, Cameron Thatcher and Joe Chamberlain for various reasons and included ex-Tadley striker Ben Dillon on the bench.

The home side were first to excel with Ben Rodwell punching away a corner under pressure and Baffins enjoying most of the early possession and Street defending well.

The opening goal, after 15 minutes, was a little out of the blue. Street cleared a corner only for Charlie Oatwell to hammer a swerving shot high into the net from 25 yards. (1-0)

Lewis Williams, playing at left back, had a shot turned round the post by home keeper Hardcastle and then combined with Shane Lock on the left but there were no takers when the cross went into the box.

Street were very much in the game and the half ended with Rodwell clinging on to a free kick and Hardcastle saving well from Dotse after a good 45 minutes from the visitors.

The decisive moments in Saturday’s defeat at Hamble came either side of halftime and it was almost a repeat as Baffins scored twice in the opening five minutes of the second half to give Street a mountain to climb.  

Firstly a cross from the right was turned home by Kelvin Robinson (2-0) and after Rodwell saved bravely from Everett at close range Tyehys Lokonyomoi was quickest to the loose ball to make it three. (3-0)

Street had started the second half with Harry Lawton replacing the hobbling Cook. A Lock corner was held by Hardcastle but Baffins had upped the tempo from the first half and were very much on top.

Goal number four came on 20 minutes, a powerful, but unchallenged header from Rob Evans. (4-0) Williams won a corner with another surging run before Lawton’s first competitive appearance of the season ended with him limping to the sideline.

As the game moved into the final 10 minutes Danny Burroughs converted a cross from the right to make it five and matters drifted to a close (5-0), though Street came close to narrowing the deficit in the closing seconds when a fierce volley from Williams crashed against the crossbar.