Hemel Hempstead Town 1 Bromsgrove Rovers 0

Southern League Division One West

By Steve Riddick

BROMSGROVE Rovers' first visit to Hemel Hempstead Town's Vauxhall Road ground ended in disappointment thanks to a 66th minute effort by Stephen Sinclair on Saturday.

Rovers matched their in-form rivals for much of the game, but the familiar problem of poor finishing meant they left without any points.

Manager Rod Brown is still searching for the right formula and decided to hand player/coach John Snape his Rovers' debut for Exodus Geohaghan. Rookie striker James Smith, a signing from Worcester City on Friday, also took his place on the bench.

Player coach John Snape made his Rovers debut replacing the suspended Exodus Geohaghan.

The Tudor's were the first to show with leading goalscorer Anthony Thomas catching Narada Bernard's left wing cross on the volley that only just cleared the Rover's crossbar after seven minutes.

Bromsgrove responded two minutes later, Kevin Banner's corner was partially punched clear by keeper Steve Smith , but Matt Johnson lifted the loose ball over the bar from the edge of the area. In the 20th minute Banner got free at the far post but Smith managed to get a hand to his effort and divert the ball away from goal and Paul Edgeworth completed the clearence.

Two minutes later Johnson saw Smith tip his rasping 20-yard shot over the bar. Smith then dived bravely at the feet of Johnson after being put through by Wayne Dyer in the 25th minute.

Hemel's Steve Sinclair rode two half hearted challenges by the corner flag, played a one-two with Thomas, then laid the ball back to Chris Herron,who shot straight at Lee Evans in goal after 28 minutes. Gavin Hurren blocked Grant Carney's shot at goal after 34 minutes as he pulled down Thomas's crossfield ball.

Two minutes later Neil Davis's shot on the turn from the edge of the area just crept wide of the left hand post. Another chance went begging in the 37th minute , when Davis headed straight at Smith after fine work by Mark Benbow and Dyer. Paul Moore then looped a header into Smith's arms after a good run and cross from Banner.

Rovers' were forced to make a substitution with Ben Porter replacing an injured Davis on 40 minutes. Right on half time Banner slotted a through ball inside Perry Norman but as Moore was about to pull the trigger Norman got back to produce a timely tackle.

The Tudor's won a corner in the 47th minute Herron's outswinger was met by Sinclair but his shot was easily saved by Evans. Banner saw his effort saved at the second attempt by Smith after 49 minutes.

The Tudor's missed the chance of the game in the 53rd minute to open the scoring. Benbow blocked Carney's shot and the ball fell to Scott McCafferty, who sliced horribly wide with only Evans to beat.

Moore tried to take the initiative when he ran down the left and created a chance, but his shot across goal was just a little too far in front of Porter after 56 minutes.

The deadlock was broken in the 66th minute when Thomas broke down the left, he back-heeled the ball to Herron, he crossed to the far post where Sinclair ghosted in to slot the ball home past Evans.

Hemel almost added a second on 72 minutes Carney got through on goal after a mistake by Hurren but Benbow's saving tackle denied the frontman. In the 74th minute Thomas tried his luck from just inside the Rovers half that had Evans scrambling back to see it only just clear the crossbar.

Brown made a double substitution to try and lift the Rovers with Anthony Maguire and Carl Adams replacing Stephen Hillman and Mark Benbow, with Snape dropping into the back three alongside Joe Williams and Hurran on 75 minutes.

The switch almost paid off in the 81st minute, Maguire put over a corner that Smith misjudged completely but Edgeworth was on hand to clear. Moore chased what looked like a lost cause into the corner on 87 minutes, after he robbed Bernard. He managed to pull back the ball across to Dyer, who saw his shot blocked by the covering Edgeworth. Banner then headed Johnson's cross over the bar in the 90th minute.

The final chance fell to Hemel, substitute Abdul Yoki beat Rovers' offside trap, laid the ball back to Thomas, his effort clipped the top of the bar with Evans beaten.

HEMEL: Smith, Old, Bernard, Fotheringham (sub Sarll 85mins ), Norman, McCafferty, Sinclair (sub Yorki 85), Herron, Carney, Thomas, Edgeworth. Subs not used: Valenti, Rose, Denton.

ROVERS: Evans 7, Benbow 7 ( sub Maguire, 75mins ) 7, Williams 8 , Hurren 7, Hillman 6 ( sub Adams 75mins) 6, Snape 7, Johnson 7, Dyer 7, Moore 6, Davis 6 (sub Porter 40) 6, K. Banner 7. Subs not used: Smith, Clarke. Referee: Mr P. Tovey (Luton).

Attendance: 192