Saturday, October 25, 2003

THIS was how FA Cup football should be.

Bromsgrove Rovers and Whitby Town played out a pulsating cup tie that had the crowd on tenterhooks throughout.

There was no doubt everyone knew what was at stake - £10,000 and a place in the first round proper - and you can bet it will be just as tense in the replay.

Although Rovers' performance was far from their best and Whitby tested the referee's patience, both sides showed a battling quality that made for a thoroughly entertaining match.

And goals in each half from James Dyson and Mark Atkinson earned a deserved replay.

It was Dyson who got George Rooney's side off to the perfect start on three minutes after Marcus Jackson was brought down on the edge of the penalty. Mark Benbow and Dyson stood over the free-kick before the latter drilled the ball with his right boot past Adam Clemantson from 20 yards.

Dyson was excellent at times, showing cool composure in the heat of a midfield battle.

His strike though, save for Peter Sutton's tame shot five minutes later, was all Rovers offered attacking-wise for the remainder of the half as the Seasiders stamped their authority.

The Unibond Premier side, whose manager Harry Dunn scouted Rovers against Gloucester last week despite a power failure only giving him half a match, found a deserved equaliser in the 26th minute via the arm of Paul Wyatt.

The Rovers goalkeeper made a right hash of Anthony Omerod's left wing corner as he attempted to punch clear under pressure and the ball ricocheted off him into the net.

A strong Whitby side should have had three further goals before the break.

Firstly, Steve Pope's clearance from under the bar ended up hitting the post in the resulting scramble. Gary Browne then had a shot deflected wide as Wyatt stood motionless and Brian Linighan missed with the goal at his mercy five minutes before half time.

Rovers fell behind five minutes into the second half when Pope uncharacteristically mis-kicked in his own penalty area and Browne took full advantage to place the ball past Wyatt.

But anyone who thought Rovers were dead and buried were mistaken. Enter Paul Szewczyk. Rovers' new striker replaced Sutton on 58 minutes and his impact was immediate as 60 seconds later he helped set up Atkinson to run into the penalty area and calmly beat Clemantson for the equaliser.

Wyatt made amends for his earlier error with a superb block with his legs to deny Paul Campbell and later caught Linighan's header under the bar.

As time ran out Rovers surged forward in search of the winner, but their closest effort saw Benbow fire over from distance.

Campbell stupidly threw the ball away at a throw-in five minutes from time, earning him a second caution and consequent red card as Whitby held out.

ROVERS

Wyatt 7, Frost 7, Hillman 8, Pope 7, Benton 7, DYSON 8*, Jackson 7, Scheppel 7, Sutton (sub Szewczyk 58 mins 7) 6, Benbow 6, Atkinson 7. Subs not used: Banner, Gandy, Dawson, Hughes.

Att - 814.