Egham Town 0 Bromsrove Rovers 0

Southern League Division One West

ROVERS were denied victory on the final day of the regular season as goalkeeper Lee Cobbey kept them at bay for basement boys Egham Town on Saturday.

Cobbey produced an immaculate display in goal as makeshift Rovers pushed for a late winner in the match's dying minutes.

However, in a game between relegated Egham and play-off guaranteed Rovers, the match had a lacklustre end-of-season feeling to it.

With manager Jimmy Mullen watching play-off rivals Clevedon his assistant, Bernard Mackey, was left to take charge of an experimental side.

Reserve team regular Oliver O'Connell was given his first team debut at left back in the absence of captain Steve Hillman, while Courtney Shaw was given orders to patrol the right wing.

Matt Johnson and John Daniels formed an unfamiliar partnership in the centre of midfield, while 19-goal top scorer Paul Szewczyk was rested on the bench.

With such an experimental side Rovers took time to settle and the home team pushed for the opening goal in the first half.

Burly striker Mike Crowson shot over from long range in the first minute, but Soloman Torson forced Matt Lowe into a fine save four minutes later, when the goalkeeper got down smartly to stop his fierce drive.

Arthur Appleton headed Daniels' left wing cross wide, but Johnson had a long range shot flash past Cobbey's goal.

Ian Gandy replaced Lowe in goal at half time and Rovers began to push Egham back. Cobbey held Appleton's fierce shot in the 47th minute, before Gandy denied winger Josh Smith as he bared down on goal.

Johnson had a fine chance to break the deadlock in the 70th minute. The makeshift midfielder controlled a low cross and spun in the box, but his shot curled agonisingly wide.

Three minutes later Rovers carved open Egham. Courtney Shaw led a counter attack down the right wing and Appleton found Matthew Barnes-Homer free on the left. The fleet-footed hitman skipped past a defender and cut into the box, but shot over.

Appleton got free down the ring wing and Steve Frost headed his cross over from point blank range with 11 minutes left.

Rovers kept up the pressure and Appleton saw an effort sail wide of Cobbey's left hand post after an alert pass by Frost.

However, miss-firing Rovers could not find a goal and ended the season with a frustrating stalemate.

Rovers: Lowe 6 (Gandy, 45mins, 6), Frost 7, O'Connell 6, Gardner 6, Male 6, Daniels 6 (Benbow, 54mins, 6), Shaw 6, Johnson 8 (Mitchell, 80mins, 6), Appleton 6, Barnes-Homer 6, Banner 6.

Attendance: 147.

By Peter McKinney