British Gas Business League Division One Midland
Saturday 28th October 2006 - 3:00 p.m. kick-off
Bromsgrove Rovers 4 Evesham Town 2
By Phil Baker

Occasionally you get a match that gets everybody buzzing and will be talked about for some time to come and this was one of them. There was certainly no shortage of entertainment and drama and at the end the tally read six goals, five sendings-off including both goalkeepers, six bookings, three penalties of which one was missed, the Evesham manager ordered out of the dugout, a brilliant 40 yard goal by Mark Owen, a punch-up in the tunnel after Liam McDonald's dismissal and a bit of a fracas at the end of the match.

So where do we start, the beginning might be an idea otherwise this will be the world's most disjointed football report.

Evesham as we have experienced before are not known for their reluctance to get stuck in and that was evident on the fourth minute when referee Mr Bate started the process of getting a repetitive strain injury owing to his removing red and yellow cards from his book, this was just a yellow when Robinson fouled McHale.

Nathan Lamey and Gary Hay look to have formed a useful partnership up from for Rovers when their neat interplay got the ball past 'keeper Nathan Vaughan only for Lamey to miss hit the resulting cross. However he did not have to wait much longer to get on the scoresheet when he curled a free kick round the wall and along the ground well wide of Vaughan's left hand.

Evesham's equaliser came shortly after on the 12th minute when Mark Owen saw Chris Taylor just off his line and hit a fabulous shot from about 40 yards that had even had the home supporters murmuring some admiration. Eat you heart out Robin van Persie!

The first of the three penalties came 6 minutes later when Stephen Luckett fouled Carl Healey in the Evesham box, Scott Stamps had the honour of attempting the conversion but Nathan Vaughan guessed right and made a good save diving to his right.

Rovers though had a second bite of the cherry on 29 minutes when Nathan Lamey rounded Vaughan and was just about to knock the ball on the net when the 'keeper grabbed his ankles and down he went. No arguments from the Evesham fans and off went Vaughan to be replaced by Ross Sanders whose first job was to recover the ball from the back of his net after Liam McDonald's well struck penalty.

Evesham made up for being a man down with extra work and commitment and it nearly paid of with Luckett, Owen and Ball al having good efforts in short space of time including one cleared off the line by the reliable Chris McHale. But it was the home team who were again on the scoresheet on 40 minutes when Nathan Lamey chased a ball to the goal line and pulled it back to Gary Hay who bagged his first for Rovers with an easy tap in.

The first half drama was not yet over as on the stoke of half-time Chris McHale appeared to handle in the Rovers' box and Richard Ball converted the resulting penalty. This was quickly followed by two yellows for Liam McDonald who on leaving the pitch appeared to have a confrontation with one of the Evesham bench in the tunnel.

Ten minutes after the break, an unfortunate clash between Simon Fitter's boot and John Snape's cheekbone resulted in the midfielder's leaving the pitch clearly suffering from concussion when the defender had unexpectedly raised his boot as Snape attempted to head the ball. John apparently recovered after a rest but went to hospital as a precaution.

It was then Chris Taylor's turn to get his marching orders on 59 minutes (can anyone remember both 'keepers being sent off in the same match?) when he upended Steven Hands just outside the box, Daire Doyle took his place between the sticks and made a good job of savings the resulting free kick.

Simon Fitter was the next to go; he already had a yellow in the first half so when he late tackled Stuart Skidmore he was already on his way when Mr Bate waved the two cards at him.

The Evesham boss, already incensed with some of the officials' decisions then let fly with a volley of expletives resulting in his being ordered up in the stand.

Neil Davis came on for the increasingly effective Gary Hay and got the ball in the net soon after only to be ruled offside. However he managed the real thing four minutes into added time when Wayne Dyer threaded a good pass round Sanders which the substitute slid in at the far post.

Doyle had been well -protected by his defenders and did not have too much to do but when he did he had to produce two class saves to keep the home side in front. One coming seven minutes after the normal time when he parried a shot from Ball only for the striker to make a poor effort with the re-bound which Stamps cleared off the line.

Shortly after the ref blew for the end of proceedings but it was not all over as another visitor in this case Steven Hands got a red after the referee had been surrounded at the end of the match.

Three hard fought points for the Rovers which keeps them ahead of the pack at the top and with the casualty list continuing to grow, this has to go down as a very good performance. Certainly the departing crowd will not forget this match in a hurry.

Rovers: Chris Taylor, James Smith (Paul Lloyd 85 mins), Scott Stamps, Chris McHale,
Carl Heeley, John Snape (capt., Wayne Dyer 55 mins), Stuart Skidmore, Daire Doyle,
Gary Hay (Neil Davis 74 mins), Nathan Lamey, Liam McDonald.
Subs not used: Joe Williams.

Robins:- Nathan Vaughan, Anthony Watson, Dominic Reece (Grant Pinkney), Steven Hands, Stephen Luckett (Liam Daly, Simon Fitter, Leon Blake (capt.), Mark Hands,
Richard Ball, Mark Owen, Anthony Robinson (Ross Sanders 29 mins).
Subs not used: Steve Lutz, Dean Wellington

Scorers:
Rovers - Nathan Lamey (8 mins), Liam McDonald (pen. 30 mins), Gary Hay (40 mins),
Neil Davis (90+4 mins)
Robins - Mark Owen (12 mins), Richard Ball (pen 45 mins)

Reds: Rovers - Liam McDonald, Chris Taylor; Robins - Nathan Vaughan, Simon Fitter, Steven Hands
Yellows:
Rovers - Gary Hay;
Robins - Anthony Robinson, Dominic Reece, Richard Ball, Grant Pinkney, Mark Hands

Attendance: 446
Referee: Mr I Bate (Stourbridge)

Baker's MoM for Rovers: Nathan Lamey