Saturday, September 4, 2000

BROMSGROVE Rovers early season generosity continued as they again let a lead slip to draw 1-1 in their FA Cup preliminary round match against Sutton Coldfield Town at Coles Lane.

Just like on Monday, when visitors Blakenall were allowed back into the game twice, Rovers were guilty of conceding an equaliser when a lot of the hard work had already been done.

Rovers' less than watertight defence put in a much improved overall display but it was a defensive error that let Sutton earn a replay just before half-time, after the Greens had gone in front through a well executed 30-yard lob from Richard Burgess.

The offside trap was made famous by the Arsenal Championship side of the early nineties but the Sutton defence had taken a step too far when they tried to implement it into their game.

Rovers sprang the trap on a number of occasions, before taking the lead, and Peter Sutton hit the side netting when clean through before Burgess scored his first goal for the club with the offside trap and home 'keeper Tony Rowe comprehensively beaten.

Town then hit back against the run of play thanks to some sloppy Greens play. A harmless through ball should have been comfortably cleared by the Rovers back line but they dithered and Leon Mitchell stole in to beat Nore Gabbidon.

The second half saw contrasting tactics from both managers. Sutton's Chris Keogh saw attack as the best approach, clearly not wanting a replay tomorrow, while George Rooney was somewhat resigned to playing this extra game and seemed happy to settle for it favouring a cautious approach.

Keogh threw on all three replacements and one of them, Duncan Ferguson, headed over in a tense final period for Rovers but Sutton nearly won it for the Greens shooting wide when well placed in time added on.

The winners of tomorrow's replay will be at home to Oldbury United on September 16.

Rovers: Gabbidon 7, Burrow 6, Ulfig 6, I. Cooksey 6, Townsend 8, Frost 6, Joinson 6, M. Beard 6, Benbow 7, Burgess 7, Sutton 6. Subs (not used) J. Beard, N. Cooksey, Biddle, Willis, McWilliams.

Star man: Quentin Townsend.

Attendance: 144.