Bromsgrove Rovers (0) 1 King's Lynn (0) 0

Errea Cup fourth round

By Peter McKinney

GOALKEEPER Tim Clarke produced two brilliant saves to help Bromsgrove Rovers knock holders Kings Lynn out of the Southern League Cup, on a bitterly cold Tuesday night at the Victoria Ground.

Clarke had to be at his very best in the second half with two top class saves to deny the in-form Premier Division side an undeserved equaliser.

Striker Paul Moore had deservedly put the hosts ahead in the 56th minute.

Manager Rod Brown gave forward James Smith his Rovers debut, Exodus Geohaghan returned from suspension and Kevin Banner was rested. This saw captain Steve Hillman playing on the left wing.

The visitors had the first attack of the game, but Clarke easily collected Danny Bloomfield's second minute shot. Wayne Dyer pounced on an error by defender Dean West, but drove his shot wide of the left-hand post on the five minute mark. Benbow tried his luck from distance in the 12th minute, but his shot flew just wide.

Clarke was on hand to save Sam McMahon's weak header, from Cedric Anselin's free kick, in the 19th minute.

Rovers carved out the best chance of the first half in the 20th minute. Matt Johnson's cross was connected with by Smith and fell to Moore, who unleashed a fierce shot that was acrobatically turned away by goalkeeper Aaron Benstead.

Johnson came close when his excellent free kick crashed off Benstead's cross bar in the 39th minute. Bloomfield then volleyed over Clarke's goal in the final minute of the first half.

Rovers came out with the same hunger in the second half and Moore grabbed the crucial goal, when he hooked a shot past Benstead, after Johnson's raking corner evaded the defence, to make it 1-0.

Clarke came to Rovers' rescue when he reacted brilliantly to tip over Sam McMahon's chip in the 65th minute.

Rovers were being pushed back as the second half wore on. Wayne Dyer broke dangerously down the left, but his lofted pass went out of play.

Clarke had to be at his best to deny Jack Defty in the 79th minute. A long throw-in evaded Rovers' defence and the Kings Lynn striker struck a powerful shot, but Rovers' goalkeeper dived athletically to his left to palm it away.

Anthony Maguire's astute flick set substitute Ben Porter free on goal in the 84th minute, but he slid his shot wide of the far post.

Matthew Barnes-Homer also shot at Benstead when in a good position but it didn't matter as Rovers booked their place in the quarterfinals.

ROVERS: CLARKE 9, Johnson 8, Williams 7, Geohaghan 7, Hurren 7, Benbow 7, Maguire 6, Dyer 6, Smith 6 (Porter, 6, 57mins), Moore 8 (Barnes-Homer, 59mins 6), Hillman 7. Subs not used Evans, Banner.

KING'S LYNN: Benstead, West, Harvey (Fell, 67mins), McMahon, Peters, Jones, Camm, Anselin, Defty, Bloomfield (Heath-Preston, 57mins), Nolan (Hammond, 78mins). Subs not used McAnally.

Referee: Mr A Williams.

Attendance 135.