GLANCING down the list of results, few eyes will pause on a 1-0 victory for Sandridge Rovers at Chipperfield Corinthians on Saturday, August 17.

But three points masks problems in the build-up that deprived Rovers of seven regulars and prompted manager Alan Ring to say: "Today's a bonus. I would have taken a draw."

Four first-team players were on holiday, a further two were injured and one more had work commitments, so it was a team of largely 'squad' players that not only kept a clean sheet away from home, but pinched a second-half winner to boot.

Kevin Grey supplied it from just inside the box, after neat build-up play from Chris Cutmore, Daryl Smith and Graham Brown.

"One swallow doesn't make a summer," warned Ring, who said it would be another fortnight before his full compliment of players was again available to him.

"It's important we don't lose too much ground in the four, five six games we play until then," he said.

August 23, 2002 11:00