Saturday, December 20, 2003

A GOAL in each half condemned Bromsgrove Rovers to their third Dr Martens Western home defeat of season.

Rovers, beaten by Redditch United and Rugby United at the Victoria Ground earlier in the season, were disappointing for the majority of the game.

Not even a change of referee at half time, when Mr Dewfield pulled a hamstring, could spark them into action.

A visibly disappointed manager George Rooney was a man of few words after the game.

He said: "We gifted them two opportunities and they took them both.

"We were just out fought and out battled, it's a hard one to take. We were well off the pace of the game."

Rovers, already without Ryan Mahon and James Dyson in midfield, did not have their cause helped midway through the first half when Kevin Banner limped off to be replaced by Richard Tomkins.

And the hosts must have feared a similar outcome seconds later when goalkeeper Paul Wyatt was caught late by Liam Hebberd, but he managed to play on. Hebbered however needed to be replaced.

Gresley were leading 2-1 on substitutions, Leigh Everitt going off on 38 minutes, before they hit the target for the first time. Leon Doughty had an easy tap in after Jamie Barrett's shot was parried by Wyatt following a defensive blunder.

The visitors did not look like extending their lead in the second half but Rovers were restricted to just two clear chances.

Grant Beckett had a 25-yard free-kick tipped over by Dale Belford on 69 minutes and he also played in Paul Szewczyk who forced an excellent save from Belford six minutes later.

That was as good as it got for the hosts and they compounded their misery by conceding a second four minutes from time when substitute Earl Alexander scored from close range.

ROVERS

Wyatt 6, Frost 6, Hillman 6, Pope 6, BECKETT 7*, Allen 7, Jackson 6, Benbow 6, Sezwczyk 7, Banner (sub Tomkins 22 mins 6), Atkinson 6. Subs not used: Benton, Gandy, Swan, Dawson.

Att - 476.