Bromsgrove Rovers 3 Beaconsfield SYCOB 2

FA Trophy

By Peter McKinney

WAYNE Dyer spared Bromsgrove Rovers' blushes as he scored a late winner to see off dogged Beaconsfield SYCOB at the Victoria Ground on Saturday.

Dyer bagged his second of the game in the 94th minute and made sure the home side moved into the next round of the FA Trophy.

However, while manager Jimmy Mullen will be pleased his side made it four wins in a row he will be concerned about the sloppy defending that allowed Beaconsfield to equalise twice and come away with a great deal of credit.

Mullen put striker Paul Szewczyk straight into his starting line-up for on-loan Mark Danks, who was not allowed to be played by club Forest Green Rovers. Joe Williams partnered Exodus Geohaghan at the back, while Carl Adams came in as midfield anchor for the rested Scott Hadland.

Rovers started strongly and went in search of goals. Matt Johnson's 35-yard chip was tipped over by Beaconsfield 'keeper Carl Tasker in the sixth minute.

Pacey striker Matthew Barnes-Homer skipped past Steve Dell with ease into the box in the 17th minute, but his excellent cross from the right missed Szewczyk and Kevin Banner.

Barnes-Homer then missed a golden chance a minute later when he headed Banner's corner over Tasker's bar.

Szewczyk, back on a month's loan from Hednesford United, opened the scoring in the 28th minute, but he knew little about it.

Geohagan sent in a trademark long throw in that caught out Beaconsfield's defence. As the defenders and 'keeper flocked to the near post Szewczyk was left alone in the centre of the box and the ball hit him on the head and dropped into the back of the net.

However, five minutes later static defending by the home side allowed towering centre forward Roy Gumbs to level the scores.

His header from 20-yards out caught goalkeeper Tim Clarke sleeping as it looped into the bottom left corner.

The visitors were in the ascendancy and pushed Rovers back. Jo Williams cleared Gumbs' shot off the line in the 50th minute after Clarke missed Jack Jeffries' corner.

Anthony Maguire sent in an excellent cross from the right in the 70th minute, but neither Barnes-Homer nor Szewczyk could reach it.

Dyer though settled Rovers' nerves when he grabbed his first in 79th minute. Maguire's centre shot across Beaconsfield's shot, Banner sent it back in and Dyer's effort squirmed through a forest of legs to make it 2-1.

Beaconsfield hit back four minutes later when the unmarked Terry Gibbs slotted the ball under Clarke.

Rovers' goalkeeper was enduring a nervy match and almost handed Beaconsfield the winner in the 94th minute.

Gibbs chased Gumbs flick on, but Clarke beat him to the ball, only for a poor pass to hand it back to the striker. The goalkeeper though managed to block Gibbs' shot.

Rovers went straight up the pitch and Dyer rifled home the winner to make sure Mullen's side keep the winning habit.

Rovers: Clarke 5, Johnson 6, Hillman 6, Williams 7, Geohaghan 6, Adams 7 (Benbow, 75mins, 6), Maguire 7 (Ramsay, 94mins, 6), Dyer 8, Szewczyk 6 (Porter, 73mins, 6), Barnes-Homer 7, Banner 6.

Beaconsfield: Tasker 7, Robinson 5 (Griffiths,45mins, 6), King 6, Gradwell 6, Dell 5, Stanley 7, Jeffries 6, Sear 7 (Gibbs, 50mins, 8), Gumbs 7, Mernagh 6, Cotton 5.

Attendance: 347.

Referee: Mr S Rushton.