Saturday 8th April 2006
Southern League Division One West
Bromsgrove Rovers 0 Hemel Hempstead Town 4
by Phil Baker

There is a sizeable gulf between the top and bottom of the Southern League Division One West and Bromsgrove Rovers are somewhere in the middle. Having seen off lower clubs like Thame and Beaconsfield without much trouble, apart from a few exceptions they have failed to get points from the higher clubs. Almost to a team the opposition seem to play similar football with well-organised physical defences, tight marking in mid-field and a couple of pacy strikers to constantly worry the home defence. Including today Rovers have failed to perform against any of them.

To be fair, Rovers have plenty of excuses for today's match and most are pretty valid but it still painful to be mauled especially at home even if the game does not really matter.

Rod Brown continued his rotation policy ahead of Tuesday's all important cup match so Steve Hillman resumed his place at left back for Joe Williams, Delton Francis was handed the number 9 shirt and Liam McDonald played on the left instead of Kevin Banner.

Rovers had more than enough chances to get on the scoresheet right from the kick-off indeed Delton Francis could have got his first for the club on 10 seconds but weakly hit the ball into Steve Smith's grateful arms. And so the half went on with Wayne Dyer and Mark Benbow doing much of the work to get the ball into a scoring position but the Hemel defence happy to mop everything up.

Inevitably the visitors took the lead somewhat against the run of play on 16 minutes when Grant Carney headed in Gary Edgeworth's corner as the defence slept.

From they on the visitors tightened their grip on the game allowing Rovers little time on the ball and keeping play well out of their own half.

To quote former England rugby player Fran Cotton, the first half was even, the second half was even worse, with Rovers hardly making an impression. The substitutions unbalanced the team and there was a distinct impression that the game did not matter. Mark Benbow did have the home team's best effort of the half on 59 minutes when his well-struck shot hit Perry Norman on the arm but referee Mr Tavinder waved play on ignoring shouts from behind the goal for a penalty.

However for Hemel there was plenty to play for and they happily galloped to three more points for their promotion push and a surge in their goal difference.

The impressive Anthony Thomas got their second on 60 minutes when he hammered a hard shot straight at Time Clarke from 15 yards, the Rovers' goalie got a hand to it but only managed to take the pace of the ball as it went into his net.

Substitute striker John Lawford got their third after receiving a short pass from Chris Herron who had dummied two defenders to open up Rovers defence and the fourth was a soft as they came when substitute Abdul Yoki scored seconds after coming on when he received pass unmarked just inside the box and easily rounded Tim Clarke to place the ball in the right-hand corner.

Difficult to say if this game had been any use to Rovers. It certainly will not have improved their morale but it came on top of two games in mid-week, ahead of Tuesday's cup clash that players will have wanted to avoid injury and exhaustion and to be fair Hemel did play well and deserved their win even if the scoreline somewhat flattered them.

Rovers (4-4-2): Tim Clarke, Jimmy Smith (Neil Davis 32 mins), Steve Hillman,
Chris McHale, Exodus Geohaghan (Kevin Banner 54 mins), Matt Johnson, Mark Benbow, Wayne Dyer, Delton Francis (Luke Reynolds 54 mins), Paul Moore, Liam McDonald
Subs not used: John Snape, Lee Evans

Hemel Hempstead Town (4-4-2): Steve Smith, Shaun Byrne, Danny Mead, Perry Norman, Dean Buss, Dave Fotheringham, Fabio Valenti (Gary Sippetts 85 mins), Chris Herron, Grant Carney (John Lawford 45 mins), Anthony Thomas (Abdul Yoki 85 mins),
Paul Edgeworth
Subs not used: Narada Bernard, David Rose

Attendance: 323
Referee: Mr L Tavinder (Cheddleton)