Saturday, December 28, 2002

BROMSGROVE Rovers swept to a 5-0 victory at lowly Shepshed Dynamo.

The visitors showed why they are top of the league. In a fairly even first half, most of the attacking pressure came from Gary Hackett and Jon Ford's side, who were in the ascendancy with most of the territorial advantage and possession.

Successive early comers put Dynamo's defence under pressure and Shepshed goalkeeper Jordan King needed to save a James Dyson attempt on five minutes and Steve Frost's header three minutes later.

The match, played in difficult conditions, produced little first half action with Rovers goalkeeper Matt Lowe untroubled until the 38th minute when a shot from Sukhjit Heer stung Lowe's fingers.

Rovers swept up field, winning their eighth corner and Frazer McHugh's pinpoint kick was crashed into the goal by Steve Pope to give Bromsgrove a deserved lead.

The lead should have been doubled three minutes later, Richard Burgess latching on to a long clearance from Lowe, crossing from the by-line to Ashley Read mis-kicked, allowing Scott Mackay to clear over his own unguarded goal.

After an initial period of pressure from Shepshed at the start of the second half, which saw Pope clear off the line from Lee McGlinchley on 55 minutes, Rovers assumed control and despite the pitch cutting up badly, Rovers' silky football was rewarded on ten minutes later with a second goal. A defence splitting 30 yard pass set Burgess in on goal; cutting inside from the left, he drilled a ball under King at his near post.

Bromsgrove put the result beyond any doubt on 79 minutes when Read raced on to a long ball out of defence from Morgan Brookes before coolly slotting home to put Rovers 3-0 ahead.

Substitute Paul Danks made it 4-0 five minutes later, hammering home a pass from Paul Lloyd.

Dynamo rallied one last time but goalkeeper Lowe was equal to Darren Grassby's 88th minute free-kick, which was met by Justin Jackson's powerful header.

The scoring was completed in the final minute when Danks pulled back a perfect ball into Read's path and this time the young striker made no mistake to send around 100 Rovers supporters home happy.

ROVERS

Lowe 7, Benbow 7 (sub Lloyd 72 mins), Banner 7, Brookes 8, McHugh 7, POPE 9*, Dyson 7, Beckett 7, Burgess 7 (sub Danks 63 mins 8), Read 7, Frost 7. Subs not used: Clifton, Cartwright, Thomas.

Att - 285.

Match report by BRIAN PERRY.