ROCKFIELD Rovers and Monmouth Town 2nds faced off in their traditional pre-season friendly, with the former coming out on top 3-1, reports JACOB DEIGHTON.

Rovers will be joining the Kingfishers Reserves in East Gwent One this season, despite talks of them potentially joining the North Gloucestershire league system.

Hosts Rockfield controlled the game from the off, with Andrew Johnston leading the line in the absence of Tommy Tynan.

The first goal of the afternoon came from Rovers’ Ben Wiggins, his low driven shot finding the bottom left corner.

And there was more joy just moments later for Rockfield, after a ball into the Monmouth box forced an own goal.

Monmouth were struggling to break down a stubborn defence, and it was one of the Rockfield defenders who scored the home side’s third.

Tom Mulvaney’s corner found the feet of the returning Alex Bradley, back at the club after a three-year absence, who smashed the ball into the top right corner right on half-time for 3-0.

Rovers created a flurry of chances in the second period without adding to the score, and denied Monmouth any real opportunities.

Things went from bad to worse for the Kingfishers after Nathan Ward’s challenge on Bradley saw him sent off.

But Monmouth kept pushing, and their efforts were eventually rewarded, with Harry Wilson dispatching a late penalty.

The two local sides will meet three times this season in East Gwent One, with the first league meeting hosted by Rockfield on Saturday, October 17.

Meanwhile, former reserves team boss David Cox has taken charge of promoted Redbrook Rovers’ 1st team ahead of their new North Gloucestershire Premier campaign.

The club said Ian “Morgy” Morgan and Jason Powell remain an important part of the 1sts set-up and will continue as members of the coaching team, having helped secure promotion back to the Premier Division last term.