Paget Rangers (0) 0

Bromsgrove Rovers (0) 0

Midland Football Alliance

ROVERS were left to ruefully reflect their failure to capitalise on early supremacy and goalscoring opportunities and must regard this result as two points lost.

This was certainly not the end product they and manager Steve Daniels were looking for after the setback against Barwell, when they also failed to score. They have now lost ground to Stratford Town whose 2-0 win over Knypersley has taken them back to the top of the table.

The point has lifted Rovers up three places to third.

Just how Saturday's game at Paget remained goalless is one of the great imponderables of football, with both sides guilty of missing some gilt edged chances.

After an even opening at the Vale Stadium, the Greens took charge for a spell but squandered three chances in as many minutes.

On 16 and 18 minutes the normally deadly Michael Moore was let in by defensive errors from Paget's Carl Murphy but he failed to convert.

Seconds later Paul Lloyd's astute pass put Stuart Payne clear but his intended chip lacked height and keeper Matt Harris gratefully gathered.

Rovers' failure to fully grasp playing with five at the back led to several misunderstandings which were rescued by Matt Lowe's agility and some wasteful finishing.

The search for a goal wasn't helped by a 25-minute break in the proceedings when Paget's Michael Swann was left motionless on the ground after an accidental clash of heads with Morgan Brookes.

Referee Ian Evans took the two sides off while Swann, who was concussed, remained on a stretcher in the Rovers' half before being taken away by an ambulance to hospital.

The sides then returned to play the remaining three minutes of the first half, took another brief break for half-time, and then resumed again.

Those breaks affected the continuity of the game and although a few chances again came and went the second half was a lacklustre affair.

On the plus side there was the safe handling of goalkeeper Lowe and an assured display from Jon Ford.

Richard Kavanagh and Sean Derry also caught the eye with their industry.

Rovers: Lowe, Lloyd, Lynch (sub O'Neill 84mins), Brookes, Ford, Pope, Kavanagh, Derry, Payne, Moore, Coppin. Subs: Bray, McGettrick (not used).

Rovers man of the match: Richard Kavanagh. Attendance: 144.

Report: ALAN WALLCROFT.