FAC preliminary round August 21, 1999

IF Sky Sports had fancied dropping down several divisions for their live football coverage last weekend, viewers wouldn't have been disappointed with this enthralling cup tie.

I'm not talking about star quality here -- just four goals, a sending off, penalty miss, disallowed free kick and wasted chances.

In short, everything the neutral fan could wish for, but the majority of supporters at the Victoria Ground were backing the Rovers, and they certainly weren't chuffed with the final outcome.

Steve Daley's side took a deserved first half lead, only to concede an equaliser and lose skipper Tony Brien, who has since left the club, within the space of four minutes just before the break.

His ten men battled gamely in the second period but were finally undone by two quick goals from experienced striker Jason Rhodes.

Yet again, Rovers started brightly. With just a minute on the clock, Robert Hopkins charged down a poor clearance but let his hard work go to waste by firing into 'keeper Andy de Bont's arms.

The Greens goal on 18 minutes brought an audible sight of relief. Right back Kevin Ashley's high cross from the right was met by winger Kevin Jinks, whose looping header hung teasingly in the air before landing in the top corner.

Russell Dodd went close with a 25 yarder before Stourbridge gave themselves a 37th minute lifeline, Paul Danks bundling the ball home after Scott Colcombe's free kick took a cruel deflection.

Nicely poised at 1-1 apiece, the tie took a dramatic turn when Brien was ordered off. His crime? Kicking out in an attempt to retrieve the ball after a two-footed tackle.

Depleted Rovers faced a tricky second half but Daley remained positive, replacing Hopkins with Steve Brown, whose 65th minute flick header from Jinks' cross brought a fine stop from de Bont.

However, Andy Wright's withdrawal through injury proved a bitter blow and two goals in four minutes put the 'home' side, who were forced to switch the tie due to a cricket match at Amblecote, in soccer heaven. Both came from Colcombe corners, Rhodes finding the net with a close range volley and header on 70 and 74 respectively.

But a thrilling finale was just around the corner and Ashley was right in the thick of it. He saw an unstoppable free kick ruled out because the defensive wall couldn't sort themselves out and, within seconds, had a penalty saved by de Bont.

Rovers: Dudley, Ashley, Ulfig, Cooper, Brien, Daley, Bytheway, Dodd, Wright (sub Davies 64), Hopkins (sub Brown), Jinks. Subs (unused): Pendleton, Homer, Philpott.

Attendance: 417. Rovers MoM: Kevin Ashley. Bookings: Dodd (foul), Cooper (foul).