Baffins Milton Rovers receive positive Covid-19 test result following ‘farcical’ Wessex League trip to Christchurch

Manager Shaun Wilkinson confirmed a member of his backroom team has contracted Covid-19.

Rovers were beaten 3-0 at Christchurch last night and had contacted the Wessex League in advance of the fixture informing them of someone within their group displaying symptoms.

However, Baffins were encouraged to go ahead with the Premier Division fixture while the individual awaited his result.

Wilkinson himself is now going to be tested, having been in close contact with the member of his backroom team.

The Baffins boss appreciates leagues across the country are in a difficult situation with the pandemic, but he felt the game at Christchurch should not have taken place.

‘It was farcical playing the game,' said Wilkinson.

'We had a Covid concern in the camp but the league have begged us to go and fulfill the fixture.

‘As it stands now, one of my first-team coaches has had his positive test through today.

‘We were waiting on his test. He’s been around us six or seven times, he’s been around the players so we brought it to the attention of the league.

‘I’ve got to go and get myself tested now because we’ve been around each other.

'The main objective really is everyone’s safety and that was the whole objective of going down there last night.

‘I wasn’t really interested in the game to be honest. Obviously you go down there to try to get a result, but you just want players to come back injury-free and safe.

‘That was a concern before the game and what’s happened is we’ve ended up with two red cards, six yellow cards, two injuries and a positive Covid test.'

It proved to be a match to forgot for Rovers, with Will Fletcher's double and Max Wilcock's effort - all in the second half - sending them to defeat.

Added to that, James Cowen - just back from a three-match suspension - and Wilkinson were shown red cards.

Meanwhile, Josh Warren was sin-binned to leave Rovers down to nine players towards the end.