Saturday, January 12, 2002

BROMSGROVE Rovers went goal crazy at The Victoria Ground as they destroyed visiting Shifnal Town by seven goals without reply in the Midland Alliance, Marvin Blake scoring a hat-trick.

Les Palmer scored the first goal on 10 minutes. Live-wire Kevin Banner sprinted down the left wing, Shifnal were unable to clear his teasing cross and Palmer as in the right place to tap the ball home.

Shifnal responded with some neat football and had their best chance on 25 minutes. Steve Oldaker saw a goal-bound header cleared off the line by Paul Lloyd.

The home team extended their lead nine minutes before the interval, Blake converting from the penalty spot after being upended by Adrian Horne inside the penalty area.

Lloyd started the second half rout with his first goal for the club inside the first minute of play, bravely heading home after Palmer's shot had come back off the crossbar.

After a period of domination Rovers finally scored their fourth when Grant Beckett fired into the top corner after 'keeper Neil Jones had somehow kept out efforts from Palmer, Blake and Banner.

The fifth goal took only five more minutes to appear, Blake shrugging off the persistent attention of Horne and Iain Turnbull to slide a pin point shot past the outstretched Jones and into the corner of the net.

Sam Bowen entered play as a substitute on 66 minutes to the delight of the home following and scored within 30 seconds.

The Bromsgrove forward capitalised on poor defending, pulled the ball around Jones and fired a low shot into the corner of the net.

Rovers completed the scoring two minutes from time. Blake was again brought down in the area, and for the second time in the afternoon scored from the penalty spot to complete his hat-trick.

The comprehensive victory keeps Rovers in third place.

Rovers: Lowe, Lloyd, Banner, Brookes (Lynch 73), Ford (Kavanagh 65), Frost, Coppin, Beckett, Palmer (Bowen 66), Blake, Derry.

Attendance: 316.