Saturday, April 26, 2003

GRANT Beckett curled a David Beckham-like free-kick home to give Bromsgrove Rovers a 1-0 victory over already promoted Weston-Super-Mare at Woodspring Park.

Bromsgrove were the more enterprising side in this clash last Saturday and signalled their attentions straight from the kick off with Richard Burgess' shot after just a few seconds.

Rovers' goalkeeper Jim McGettrick was called into action to turn a Michael Jackson free-kick over the bar on ten minutes.

Bromsgrove opened the scoring four minutes later after Kilgour was booked after felling Les Palmer on the edge of the box. Grant Beckett stepped up to curl a free-kick into the top corner of the net with Jones rooted to the spot.

Weston responded with Jody Bevan and Lewis Haldane sending shots over Bromsgrove's crossbar on 24 and 26 minutes respectively.

Two minutes later Paul Danks clipped the crossbar with a cross-come-shot but the ball rebounded to safety. Shortly afterwards, Les Palmer's snapshot was deflected by Anthony Hopkins and rolled agonisingly past the upright.

Rovers started the second half as they ended the first, well in command. Jones saved at the feet of Burgess after 56 minutes. Two minutes later, former West Ham star Stuart Slater missed Weston's best chance, slicing the ball wide of goal from a good position.

On the hour, Rovers were showing their supremacy with Burgess flashing a shot across the face of goal, skimming the post by inches.

Substitute Kevin Banner saw his shot saved by Jones' legs on 79 minutes and moments later Jones saved Burgess' effort at the foot of his post.

Eight minutes from time, Banner surged through the Seagulls' defence, his curling shot beating Jones but crashing off the angle of post and bar.

A rare Weston attack searching for an undeserved equaliser saw McGettrick catch Danny O'Hagan's looping header under his crossbar to earn a hard working Rovers three well deserved points.

ROVERS

McGettrick 7, Benbow 6, Ford 7, Collins 7, Lutz 7, Pope 7, Dyson 7, Palmer 6 (sub Banner 73 mins 7) Burgess (sub Frost 85 mins) 7, Danks 7, BECKETT 8*. Subs not used: Clifton, Hyde, Broadhurst.

Attendance - 345.

Report by STEVE RIDDICK.