Saturday, March 22, 2003

IN September Bromsgrove Rovers defeated Clevedon Town 5-1 at the Victoria Ground. Six months on, and with all goalscorers from that day in the starting 11, the reverse fixture ended in a 1-1 draw.

Then, Rovers were league leaders and looking like a promotion-winning outfit. Now, with only four wins in 2003, Gary Hackett and Jon Ford's side are looking more and more like also-rans.

They may still be third in the Dr Martens Western but it is going to take something special for them to close the gap on the top two, currently at six points, with games rapidly running out.

Last Saturday, Rovers earned a share of the spoils as both teams scored in a four-minute spell towards the end of the first half.

But the visitors should have been ahead early on. Richard Burgess wasted a golden chance on 12 minutes when he dragged his shot tamely wide with only Dave Mogg to beat.

At the other end, Clevedon were nearly gifted a goal on 36 minutes after Steve Pope missed his kick in the penalty area, but Mike Wyatt was off target with his bicycle kick.

Sixty seconds later the hosts were ahead though when Steve Lester's block-come-pass rolled through the Rovers defence for Arthur Appleton to slide the ball past Matt Lowe into the bottom corner.

Rovers' was response was almost immediate. Grant Beckett's forage down the left led to a cross that caused havoc in the six yard box. The ball eventually fell to Steve Frost who smashed it home through a crowd of players.

The visitors were forced into an unwelcome change seven minutes after the re-start. Goalkeeper Matt Lowe parried Clevedon substitute Steve Weaver's shot but fell awkwardly after colliding with Lester for the rebound.

Into the fray came Gary Hateley for his first taste of Rovers action. And it was Hateley who pulled off the save of the match as he denied Wyatt a certain goal with his legs on 67 minutes.

Two minutes later Beckett had a point blank effort cleared for a corner as Rovers pressed forward. Marvin Blake and Neil Cartwright replaced Palmer and Steve Lutz within seven minutes of each other, but still no breakthrough looked on.

The hosts carved out another good opportunity with seven minutes left. Substitute Deion Vernon easily out-paced Ford, his cross found Wyatt but he blazed an effort over.

Blake and Mark Clifton both might have done better with chances in the closing stages as Rovers camped in the opposition half. With seconds left, Cartwright floated a free-kick just wide of the far post.

ROVERS

Lowe (sub Hateley 53 mins 7) 7, Benbow 6, Ford 6, Clifton 6, Lutz (sub Cartwright 80 mins) 6, POPE 8*, Dyson 7, Beckett 7, Burgess 6, Palmer (sub Blake 73 mins) 6, Frost 6. Subs not used: Collins, Hyde.

Attendance - 251.