British Gas Business Division One Midlands
Saturday 26th August 2006 - 3:00 p.m. kick-off
Bromsgrove Rovers 1 Rothwell Town 1
By Steve Riddick (Sporting Journalists)

A second half triple substitution breathed life into a lack lustre performance by Rovers against a stubborn Rothwell side at The Victoria Ground. Neal Davis came off the bench to equalise to preserve Bromsgrove's unbeaten start of the season.

It was Rothwell who made the early running and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 13th minute, slack defending by Rovers allowed Justin Jenkins time and space to pick his spot past goalkeeper Dean Coleman. The Greens had a glorious chance to equalise straight from the restart, Kevin Banner broke away down the left his cross found John Snape, but with the goal at his mercy somehow lifted his effort over the bar from six yards out. James Smith beat Stuart Spencer for pace down the right he tried to beat goalkeeper Shaun Allen at his near post but the keeper saved easily in the 25th minute.

Rothwell turned up the pressure on Bromsgrove and almost added to their tally. Jenkins had an effort deflected just wide of the post on the half hour. Michael Boyle-Chong fired narrowly wide a minute later. Rovers were all at sea in defence and had Coleman to thank before the break after he saved from Christopher Di Fante, and then blocked a second effort from the striker moments later. A rare forage forward by Rovers saw Allen tip a cross that drifted towards goal over the bar from Smith right on half time.

Ten minutes into the second half changes were made by the management, Daire Doyle, Liam McDonald and Neal Davis replaced Snape, Mark Taylor and Richard Burgess. This breathed life into Rovers and they quickly started to take a hold of the game. In the 65th minute Rovers were level. Banner skipped past two feeble challenges and produced a low fizzing cross that Davis caught on the volley at the near post to give Allen no chance in goal.

Allen kept his side in the game with a double save in the 70th minute, when he reacted late to parry Nathan Lamey's shot that came through a crowd of players, and then pulled off a fine stop to deny Davis as he pounced on the rebound at the foot of his post. Lamey then saw his looping header from Doyle's precise free-kick rebound back of the post in the 75th minute.

Rovers went to sleep four minutes from time and almost gifted Rothwell all three points, when McHale inadvertently turned his clearance into Jenkins' path, he lifted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper Coleman but Paul Carty was alive to the danger and cleared off the line to preserve The Greens unbeaten start.

Bromsgrove Rovers: 1 D Coleman, 2 J Smith, 3 C McHale, 4 P Carty, 5 C Heeley,
6 J Snape (D Doyle 55 mins), 7 W Dyer, 8 M Taylor (L McDonald 55 mins), 9 N Lamey,
10 R Burgess (N Davis 55 mins), 11 K Banner
Subs Unused :- 14 J Williams, 17 S Skidmore.

Rothwell Town: 1 S Allen, 2 A Brown, 3 S Spencer, 4 P Rice, 5 M Flannigan,
6 M Boyle-Chong, 7 M.Tolton, 8 T Hills, 9 C Di Fante, 10 J Jenkins, 11 J Wright (R Rich-Smith 81 mins).
Subs Unused: 12 J Darby, 15 D Capps, 17 C Patterson

Attendance: 271
Referee: Mr S P Bennett (Stoke-on-Trent)