Bromsgrove Rovers 0 Bracknell Town 0

Southern League Division One West

By Peter McKinney

HOME comforts? Not for Bromsgrove Rovers, as the team's poor form at the Victoria Ground continued to hammer more nails into the coffin containing their promotion hopes.

Rovers have struggled to turn their famous ground into a fortress this season, with the visitors relishing playing a side that looks more nervous in front of a home crowd.

Saturday's performance against solid but unambitious Bracknell was no different. Rovers dominated the game and created numerous chances to win the match. However, the players seemed shackled by nerves when they enter the penalty area.

Without Luke Reynolds, who had made several promising performances, because of injury and Neil Davis and Paul Moore not totally gelling up front Bromsgrove huffed and puffed but could not blow Bracknell away.

Frustrated Rovers fans may take solace that there is more than enough creativity in their team. The midfield quartet of Riad Erraji, Mark Benbow, Kevin Banner and Wayne Dyer bossed the game and carved out enough chances to win it comfortably.

Davis also produces moments of quality that can turn a match, but was guilty of missing all the game's golden scoring chances on Saturday.

Manager Rod Brown brought Erraji in from the right wing to play in central midfield and dropped veteran John Snape back into defence to replace the injured Chris McHale.

Exodus Geohaghan had an early chance when he flashed a header wide from Matt Johnson's sixth minute corner.

Bracknell defender Danny Hayward made a timely block on Davis, after Erraji had headed Moore's cross down.

In the 15th minute Banner got free down the left and fed Erraji, who's powerful shot flew inches wide of the left post.

Davis missed a great chance to score as Rovers enjoyed some fortune in the 19th minute. Referee Mr Gratton missed Paul Moore using his hand to control Dyer's lofted pass and he dissected Bracknell's defence and allowed Davis through on a one-on-one with goalkeeper Andrew Poyser.

Poyser came out and forced Rovers' hitman wide but he blasted over with the goal at his mercy.

Moore then had an effort ruled out for offside after excellent play by Dyer and Banner in the 19th minute.

Erraji's neat pass set Davis racing towards Bracknell's goal. This time he opted to shoot early and blazed over the bar in the 33rd minute.

Goalkeeper Lee Evans then palmed Jonny Dyer's low shot round the post in the first half's final minutes. Evans had to be at his best in the 52nd minute when he made a good save from Dan Green after an error by Matt Johnson.

Moore created a good chance for his strike partner when he lofted a delicate ball over the defence. Davis raced onto it but he was muscled off the ball by Hayward on the 66 minute mark.

Rovers kept the pressure on Bracknell and Geohaghan headed Johnson's corner to Davis but he was blocked.

For all their pressure Rovers were grateful to the alert Evans, who saved Dyer's rasping effort in the 89th minute.

ROVERS: Evans 7, Johnson 6, Williams 6, Snape 6, Geohaghan 7, ERRAJI 8, Benbow 7, Dyer 7, Davis 6, Moore 6 (Smith, 72mins, 6), Banner 6.

BRACKNELL: Poyser, Cook, Fenton, Oldham, Woozley, Hayward, Griffin, G Taylor, S Scott (Tanfield, 78mins), Dyer (Baker, 92mins), Palmer, Green.

Reference: Mr Gratton.

Attendance: 306.