Monday 17th April 2006
Southern League Division One West
Solihull Borough 1 Bromsgrove Rovers 1
by Phil Baker

Before the match manager Rod Brown said he wanted to see more determination and hunger from his players compared to last Saturday and true to his word this is what he got. Unfortunately it only lasted for the first twenty minutes during which time Rovers at least took the lead. To be fair on the players it is difficult to get excited about an insignificant league match and they will always be looking to avoid injury with a prestige match coming up. For much of the time, Solihull did not appear much more interested though their striker Justin Marsden who got the equaliser looked determined to walk away with the match of the match award.

Yet more team changes partly forced by Exodus Geohaghan having a minor back problem saw Riad Erraji and Wayne Dyer back in mid-field, Riad incidentally wearing the captain's armband in John Snape and Steve Hillman's absence. Paul Moore partnered Luke Reynolds up front.

Rovers forced the home defence on to the back foot right from the start and the pressure paid of on just three minutes when Paul Moore ran wide on the right to collect a pass from Kevin Banner, he then returned the ball across the face of the goal where Luke Reynolds, one of the several Rovers' players in scoring positions got a touch from about 4 yards.

Rovers continued to dominate for the next 15 minutes but the turning point came when Mark Benbow lost the ball just inside he own half to Jerome Grandison. He passed to the impressive Justin Marsden who squandered a good chance but the important point was that Solihull now realised they could get even and from then on the men in red lifted their game. The leveller came on 29 minutes when after a period of pressure the ball fell to Marsden out on the right, he saw a gap in a crowded penalty area and fired hard and low past the hapless Evans.

From then on the game was bogged down in the middle of the pitch with the two sides only creating a few chances, none of which troubled their opposite numbers. For the record Danny Hall and Craig Dutton had a couple of reasonable shots whilst Rovers best efforts came from substitutes Delton Francis and Liam McDonald. But in truth the second half was littered with poor passing and the ball simply being hoofed aimlessly up-field by both teams. Rovers three men in defence and two wing-backs formed a solid barrier for the Borough whilst ex-Rovers' man Ross Collins marshalled his back four well enough to keep his former team mates at bay.

As referee Mr Caswell blew for the end of ninety minutes there was an audible sigh of relief from the crowd who no doubt wished they had gone home at half-time to do something more useful like watching paint dry.

A fair score line for both sides and no doubt both sets of fans will be hoping for a bit more entertainment when they meet again next season.

Solihull Borough 4-4-2: Shaun Hayes, Gary Moran, Martin Hier, Barry Hall, Ross Collins, Neil Manton, Phil Rowe, Craig Dutton, Jerome Grandison, Justin Marsden, Jamie Petty (Neil O'Sullivan 68 mins), Peter Barry
Subs not used: Stuart Hamilton, Justin Bray (GK)

Rovers 3-5-2: Lee Evans, Matt Johnson (Liam McDonald 75 mins), Joe Williams, Phil Male, Chris McHale, Riad Erraji, Mark Benbow, Wayne Dyer, Luke Reynolds (Neil Davis 69 mins), Paul Moore (Delton Francis 75 mins), Kevin Banner
Subs not used: Tim Clarke (GK)

Attendance: 207
Referee: Mr P A Caswell (Leicester)

Baker's MoM for Rovers: Riad Erraji