Rovers 4
Bedworth 1

JEMIAH Richards and Leon Kelly scored the first goals of their respective Rovers careers in a comfortable win over Bedworth United.

Former Hinckley striker Kelly put Rovers in the lead, while Richards capped an outstanding display by heading home two Graham Deakin free-kicks.

Paul Lamb pulled a goal back from the penalty spot for Bedworth seven minutes from time, before Kevin Banner smashed home Rovers' fourth in the last minute.

Rovers' supporters were heartened by the inclusion of Nathan Lamey in the starting line-up following his return to the club from Rushall Olympic.

He partnered Kelly up front in a 4-4-2 formation and worked hard for 66 minutes before being replaced by debutant Troy Wood.

In the main, the Greens controlled proceedings and their back four remained solid.

Kelly showed great strength, balance and composure to open the scoring on 20 minutes, holding off Ashley Pringle to find himself clean through and slot past Andy Kemp.

Fifteen minutes later Deakin punted forward a free-kick from just inside the visitors’ half, and Richards leapt above a crowd of players to head in his first for the club.

Deakin found Richards at the back post on 72 minutes and the defender sent a towering header into the far corner for his second of the game.

Richards was adjudged to have shoved Danny Edmond in the penalty area, and Lamb stepped up to slot home a consolation from the spot, before Banner thumped in Wood’s cutback for a breakaway goal.

A good night’s work for Rovers was soured with Barry Woolley picking up a hamstring injury and goalkeeper Jimmy Dormand going off in stoppage time with a suspected dislocated shoulder.

ROVERS: Dormand, Gardiner, McHale, Woolley (O'Connell, 40 mins), Richards, Deakin, Jones (Lloyd, 68 mins), Barrett, Lamey (Wood, 66 mins), Kelly, Banner. Unused subs: Mullins-Fairweather, Beasley.

BEDWORTH: Kemp, Moran, Jephcott, Lamb, Barnett, Pringle (Thackary, 62 mins), Twigger, Connolly, Kinder, Edmond, Lazarus (Ingram, 62 mins). Unused subs: Shepherd, Ofori, Lee.

Referee: Mr P.Keane. Attendance: 169.