ROCESTER BID TO BEAT DROP

Rocester 0 Chasetown 2

AFTER their shock first League win in 68 games at Quorn a few days earlier, it was a quick return to reality for Rocester at Hillsfield on Saturday. However, manager Michal Rowe remains optimistic that his side can avoid the drop from the Midland Alliance.

After a spirited opening 45 minutes from the Romans, Alliance promotion hopefuls Chasetown took a grip on the game after the break and went on to win 2-0.

Rowe said, however: "If we can put in a similar displays, we can start picking up points and get off the bottom of the table. The lads enjoyed themselves at Quorn and now they are starting to believe."

On Saturday, the home side came close to taking an early lead when Jim McCarron’s goalbound header was deflected by a visiting defender for a corner, then after 20 minutes Adam Baum saw his shot on the turn palmed away by goalkeeper Simon Bryan.

The best chance of the first period, however, fell to Chasetown's Karl Edwards, whose low angled drive was brilliantly saved by Rocester keeper Paul Wood.

Chasetown took the lead straight after the interval when Edwards curled a header past Wood and just inside the right-hand post from 12 yards out.

The visitors then stepped up a gear to control most of the second half.

Their second goal was allowed to stand after 56 minutes, despite the fact that striker Lee Bullimore appeared to be offside when looping a header past Wood.

Substitutions in the closing stages by both sides saw the game lose much of its earlier flow, but not before Wood made another fine save to deny Bullimore a second goal and Craig Hancox rattled a long-range effort against the left-hand post at the other end.

ROMANS: Wood, M Ede, Reynolds (Bayliss-Rowe 73), McCarron, Barnett, P Ede, Skelding (Caswell 60), Colins, Ruddock, Baum, Hancox. Subs not used: Allen, Jackson, Allcock.

CHASETOWN: Bryan, Parsons, Branch, Slater, Huckfield, Ulfig, Harris, Harrison (Smith 87), Bullimore (Gennard 77), Edwards, Horler. Subs not used: Aulton, Davies, Turner.

ROMANS STAR MAN: Paul Wood — made two fine saves.

BOOKINGS: Romans — Skelding (late tackle), Barnett (shirt pulling); Chasetown — Harris (diving), Ulfig (late tackle).

REFEREE: SJ Cook (Belper).

ATTENDANCE: 128.

Burton Mail - Published on 06/02/2006