Saturday, April 5, 2003

LES Palmer turned from goalscorer to goalkeeper as Bromsgrove Rovers gained a hard fought narrow victory over Mangotsfield United.

Palmer, employed as a substitute last Saturday, got an unexpected call-up on 21 minutes when, with no replacement on the bench, goalkeeper Matt Lowe aggravated a knee injury.

Lowe had not been tested up to this point although the visitors had opened the strongest, controlling the midfield.

With Palmer between the posts, Gary Hackett and Jon Ford's side immediately rose to the challenge of losing their goalkeeper and took the lead within 90 seconds.

Mangotsfield failed to clear Kevin Banner's right wing corner and James Dyson hit the ball through a mass of players and into the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Bromsgrove dominated the rest of the first period. Steve Frost headed over the crossbar on 28 minutes and a low cross from Banner just before the interval caused panic in the visitors' defence.

A Paul Danks run at the start of the second period was illegally stopped by Scott Hendy, which earned the Mangotsfield defender a yellow card.

From the resulting free-kick Frost won the loose ball in the penalty area and set up a chance for Danks who turned his man before firing a low shot past Paul Thompson in the Mangotsfield goal.

Ellis Wilmot headed wide with the goal at his mercy on 65 minutes before the visitors pulled a goal back two minutes later.

Substitute Stephen Campbell found space in the area and hit a low drive that Palmer could only push out to fellow substitute Dean Griffiths who made no mistake from ten yards.

Ross Collins saw his header cleared off the line by a well placed Dean Pendry before a nervous last ten minutes saw Griffiths head the ball onto the crossbar and Morgan Brookes clear the ball via the woodwork seconds later.

ROVERS

Lowe 6 (sub Palmer 21 mins), Benbow 6, Banner 6 (sub Hyde 85 mins), Brookes 7, Lutz 7, POPE 9*, Dyson 8 (sub Beckett 65 mins 6), Collins 6, Burgess 6, Danks 7, Frost 7. Sub not used: Clifton.

Attendance - 350.

Match report by CHRIS FOX.