05/11/05 - Gary makes Hay as Rovers fade

Southern League Division One West

ROVERS' soft centre was cruelly exposed by rugged Willenhall Town, as their promotion hopes were struck with another hammer blow at the Victoria Ground on Saturday.

A heavy defeat to the Black Country side leaves manager Jimmy Mullen's team stranded in mid-table in the Southern League Division One West.

Two late goals by striker Gary Hay, who bagged a hat-trick, gave the scoreline a one sided look, but powerful Willenhall highlighted all of the problems which have surfaced on the pitch for Rovers in recent weeks.

The hosts created enough chances to win the match, but could not take them. Their inability to score was made worse by errors at the back, which led to Willenhall's goals.

Rovers carved out a good chance in the second minute when Matthew Barnes-Homer latched onto Matthew Johnson's free kick and crossed from the right. Winger Kevin Banner's shot was blocked by Thomas Vaughan.

Banner and Steve Hillman combined down the wing and the left back's cross curled tantalisingly past Anthony Maguire, who was lurking at the far post in the 11th minute.

However, a defensive error by Phil Male allowed Town to go ahead against the run of play a minute later. The usually commanding defender's weak clearing header fell to veteran Martin Myers in the box and he picked out Hay - who finished coolly.

Rovers though poured forward in search of an equaliser. Barnes-Homer headed off target from Maguire's free-kick in the 24th minute and Mark Danks' fierce volley stung the palms of Town 'keeper Daniel Tipton soon after.

A gilt-edge chance went begging in the 32nd minute. Tipton dived acrobatically to keep out Wayne Dyer's accurate low shot and Barnes-Homer put the follow-up over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Danks, in his last Rovers game before his loan from Forest Green Rovers ended, was playing like a man possessed and he brought Bromsgrove level in the 39th minute. He was brought down by Dominic Reece in the box for a penalty and slotted the spot kick under Tipton.

The striker could have made it 2-1 before half time, but he shot over after Tipton deflected Barnes-Homer's strike into his path.

Hay should have done better after collecting Vaughan's long diagonal pass, but he shot across goal in the 52nd minute.

The home side continued to pummel Town in the second half but could not find the all-important second goal.

Barnes-Homer's fierce strike cannoned off Tipton's cross bar to safety and Danks put a far post header wide from a corner in the 54th minute.

Top scorer Scott Hadland's venomous shot was deflected wide in the 71st minute. Dyer made a great run to beat the off side trap and latch onto Matt Johnson's free-kick, but he headed over in the 73rd minute.

Substitute Paul Szewczyk saw his volley fly wide of Willenhall's right hand post a minute later, after good work by Hillman down the left wing. But the killer blow came for Rovers in the 79th minute when John Quilt slotted home after a Willenhall break.

Lee Evans made a fine diving save to deny Hay a goal in the 81st minute, but as deflated Rovers wilted Hay bagged two late goals to rub salt into their wounds.

The burly forward dribbled into the box from the right and beat Evans in the 88th minute, before bulldozing past Exodus Geohaghan to collect Tipton's goal kick and scoring in the 90th.

Rovers: Evans 6, Johnson 6, Hillman 6, Male 5, Geohaghan 5, Hadland 6 (Porter, 87mins 6), Maguire 6 (Szewczyk, 60mins, 5) Dyer 6, DANKS 7, Barnes-Homer 7, Banner 7.

Willenhall Town: Tipton 7, L Vaughan 7 (Campbell, 56mins, 7), Reece 6, Woodvine 6, Slater 7, T Vaughan, Myers 7, Sheppard (P Danks, 65mins, 6), HAY 8, Perrow 6 (Quilt, 69mins, 7), Platt 6.

Referee: Mr L Sinclair. Attendance: 385.

By Peter McKinney