F A Cup Preliminary Round
Saturday 2nd September 2006 - 3:00 p.m. kick-off
Eastwood Town 5 Bromsgrove Rovers 5
By Phil Baker

There cannot be many occasions when a team is 5-1 down and comes back to draw the match but anyone who has watched Rovers over the years will recall a fair few unusual results and comebacks. This is another to add to the list and I have been privileged to see the other two recent 5-5 draws against Woking in the Conference and against Bilston 5 years ago in the Southern League.

The conditions undoubtedly played a part with a strong swirling wind blowing mainly down the pitch bringing fine drizzle with it and a pitch that sloped from corner to corner. The home team had the wind and slope advantage in the first half.

However, it was Rovers who stated brightly with Kevin Banner getting an early cross in. However their dominance did not last long as the home team found themselves two up after10 minutes. Alan Lamb got the first on five minutes with a follow up after hitting the bar then Peter Knox took advantage of poor marking to place a fine shot from the left wide of Dean Coleman's right arm.

Rovers got their first back on 19 minutes when Wayne Dyer's lob from 35 yards was fumbled by goalkeeper Ian Deakin into the path of Neil Davis who easily tapped home.
Rovers' supporters optimism that they could easily get back into this match were dashed by Peter Knox again on 21 minutes when he hit a hard low shot in to the left-hand corner from just inside the penalty area.

Rovers defence was strengthened shortly after when Paul Carty found he could not continue with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Joe Williams. But things got worse before they got better as Town got their fourth when Chris Shaw bent a well- taken free-kick over the wall and wide of Coleman's outstretched left arm.

Just six minutes later though Davis was unnecessarily fouled in the home side's penalty area and Kevin Banner got Rovers second with a hard low strike from the spot. England players take note of how it should be done!

The second half gave Rovers the benefit of playing downhill and the wind for much of the time behind them and they duly took advantage just four minutes after the re-start when Richard Burgess beat left-back Niall McNamara and put in a beautiful cross which Wayne Dyer easily tapped home.

Tension rising and Rovers' fans beginning to think it could be done with the away side keeping the ball on the ground and moving it around well. Drama increases on 79 minutes when this time Banner knocks over a cross which bounces around the area before Wane Dyer get the final touch to make it 5-4.

"Come on Rovers you can do it" echoes around Coronation Park and with just 8 minutes remaining the equaliser arrives when Burgess again puts over a fine cross from the left, substitute Liam McDonald goes to play it but pulls back leaving an unmarked Kevin Banner to slot home from 10 yards.

Much huffing and puffing from both sides failed to give either the winner when Mr Morbin low up after 3 added minutes during which he red-carded Eastwood's Paul Mitchell for attempting to knee Liam McDonald in the groin right in front of him. The frustration showing I suppose.

A very befitting drama in the home town of famous novelist D H Lawrence but it's all to do again on Tuesday evening.

Eastwood Town (4-4-2): 1 Ian Deakin, 2 Niall McNamara, 3 Chris Shaw, 4 Richard Cooper, 5 Matt McKenzie (Colin Daniel 86 mins), 6 Gary Breach, 7 Adam Lamb, 8 Paul Mitchell,
9 Peter Knox (capt) (Lindon Meikle 79 mins), 10 Adam Kerley, 11 Deon Meikle
Subs not used: 15 Mark Ellison, 16 Simon Ellison, 17 Paul Stanhope (G/K)

Rovers (3-5-2): 1 Dean Coleman, 2 James Smith, 3 Chris McHale, 4 Paul Carty (Joe Williams 24 mins), 5 Carl Heeley, 6 Wayne Dyer, 7 Daire Doyle, 8 Mark Taylor (capt) (Stuart Skidmore 76 mins), 9 Neil Davis (Liam McDonald 66 mins), 10 Richard Burgess,
11 Kevin Banner
Sub not used: 16 John Snape

Scorers: Badgers - Lamb 5mins, Knox 10 mins, 21 mins, 32 mins, Shaw 27 mins
Rovers - Davis 19 mins, Banner 38 mins (pen), 82 mins, Dyer 49 mins, 79 mins

Reds:  Badgers - Mitchell 90+2 mins
Yellows: Rovers - Dyer 45 mins

Attendance: 178
Referee:  Mr A Morbin (Sheffield)

Baker's MoM for Rovers: Wayne Dyer