Saturday 11th March 2006
Southern League Division One West
Bromsgrove Rovers 4 Thame Untited 0
by Phil Baker

Thame United are rooted to the bottom of the table having been the league whipping boys all season. Just three wins to their name and with only mathematics to save them there was not a lot to play for apart from a bit of pride.

Ditto Bromsgrove Rovers, who really only have the errea Cup left to play for this season and unfortunately for the visitors, they enjoyed a comfortable rather than commanding victory this afternoon.

Manager Rod Brown decided to stick with the team and line up that did him proud against Chippenham last Tuesday apart from Neil Davis who replaced Delton Francis up front.

Without bursting any blood vessels Rovers stamped their superiority on the game right from the start and took the lead on 14 minutes when Neil Davis finally found the net after far more attempts than he no doubt cares to remember in his last two matches. He received the ball on the left about 15 yards out and had enough time to place a well taken drive past the advancing Thame 'keeper Paul Searl.

Mark Benbow should have doubled the lead on 22 minutes when he collected a pass from Wayne Dyer just outside the box only to rattle it against the post.

Thame had their moments when Tom Goffe forced a good save from Lee Evans and the same man had a shot cleared off the line by Jimmy Smith on 24 minutes after good work by his fellow striker Darren Moore.

However, it was Paul Moore who got himself on the score sheet when Rovers beat the offside trap and the striker headed goalwards. Searl dived at his feet but only succeeded in taking the pace of the ball that slipped past him allowing Moore the simplest of tap-ins with two of the first 45 minutes remaining.

The second half belonged totally to the home side who controlled the game well from mid-field and subjected the men from Oxfordshire to an immense amount of pressure. Both second half-goals came from Davis. His second of the game on 47 minutes when he opened up the opposition defence and hit hard and low past Searl and with just two minutes on the ref's watch when he nodded in Matt Johnson's corner at the near post to earn his hat-trick.

Rovers had several chances to chalk up a greater margin but for poor finishing and some sturdy defending by the visitors. However, they will be satisfied with this result, which make the right contribution to needing a win in every match to the end of the season to keep alive even the remotest possibility of the play-offs.

Spare a thought for Thame United. Before the season started, they were evicted from their delightful Windmill Ground by an unscrupulous property developer taking advantage of a clause in their contract. They have then had to play their home games down the road at Aylesbury United without much income and rumour has it the players are on just £25 a week. So let's be grateful they at least showed up and that things can only get better for them.

Finally, apologies for those who heard me earlier on Radio Hereford & Worcester, I mistakenly gave Paul Moore the credit for the third goal thus failing to acknowledge Neil Davis' hat trick over the airwaves.

Rovers (3-5-2): Lee Evans, Jimmy Smith, Joe Williams (Steve Hillman 66 mins),
John Snape, Exodus Geohaghan, Riad Erraji, Mark Benbow (Matt Johnson 68 mins), Wayne Dyer, Neil Davis, Paul Moore (Delton Francis 75 mins), Kevin Banner.
Subs not used: Chris McHale, Tim Clarke.

Thame United (4-4-2): Paul Searl, Adam Bradley (Gareth Morgan 64 mins), Dave Hocking, Dave Tregurtha, Robbie Eason, Majid Raja, Adam Rhodes (Gavin Way 45 mins),
Nick Rhodes (Rob Hopkins 66 mins), Tom Goffe, Darren Moore, Ben Freeman.

Attendance: 267
Referee: Mr H G Murphy

Baker's MoM for Rovers: Wayne Dyer