STEVIE'S A WONDER

Cradley Town 3 Rocester 3

STEVE Caswell's last-gasp equaliser earned Rocester a 3-3 draw in the basement battle against Cradley Town at Beeches View on Saturday.

This was a game in which Rocester had more than enough chances to have won comfortably, yet during a crazy finish, Michael Rowe’s team twice faced defeat after conceding soft goals.

Home goalkeeper Tim Beech could do nothing to prevent Rocester’s 50th minute opener. Nathan Gallagher’s excellent crossfield pass found Paul Tortoishell out on the right, the striker held off Luke Bradley’s challenge and watched his angled drive from just inside the area hit the back of the net.

The lead was short-lived as Ben Store was easily able to sidefoot Cradley level almost immediately after Carl Allen and keeper Elliott Richards made a hash of clearing a long ball into the danger area.

Rocester settled back down, but with just 13 minutes to go another long ball upfield caught their defence out and Stuart How was left in the clear to round the stranded Richards and give Cradley the lead.

Rocester rallied bravely and were finally rewarded in the 89th minute when, in a crowded area, James McCarron managed to stab the ball home from close range.

However, their joy at forcing such a late equaliser was short-lived. Straight from the restart Cradley forced a corner, Andy Millington headed the kick goalwards and Allen could only help the ball into his own net via the bar.

Incredibly, there was still just enough time for Rocester to launch one more attack, and Caswell, calm as you like, was able to steer the ball past Beech and just inside the left-hand post from the edge of the box.