LATE PRESSURE FAILS TO PAY FOR ROMANS

Rocester 0 Leamington 0

After snatching eight points from their last five games against top half of the table sides, the Romans' league position looks ridiculous.

Apart from four fine saves from keeper Paul Wood, Rocester were relatively untroubled and could easily have taken all three points after a strong finish had Leamington's defence reeling on Tuesday night. However, they were forced to settle for a 0-0, which saw them remain rooted to the foot of the Midland Alliance table.

For the first time in almost three years, the Romans fielded their own equivalent of the three musketeers in their starting line-up as veterans Mick and Paul Ede and Richard Owen rallied to the cause in an attempt to haul Rocester off the bottom of the table.

This game brought their combined total of appearances in the Romans first team to 2,158.

Leamington took control of the first half, but a combination of poor finishing and two fine saves from Romans keeper Wood - to deny Jon Adams early on and Ryan Howell on the stroke of half-time - prevented the visitors taking an interval lead.

In contrast, Leamington's keeper Paul Shepshed had little to do in the first 45 minutes.

Leamington still looked the more likely to score after the break as their pressure yielded a number of corner kicks, but Rocester's defence held firm and Wood made another excellent save to deny Howell just after the hour mark.

Rocester suddenly gained in confidence after Adam Baum had seen his shot fly narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

The hard-working Gavin Reynolds deserved better following a surging run, but his goalbound effort was deflected wide after it struck a Leamington defender's heel.

Wood again came to Rocester's rescue eight minutes from time when he produced a top-class save to palm a volley from Richard Adams over his crossbar.
 

However, the home side finished strongly and twice saw shots cleared off Leamington's goalline during the six minutes of added time.

Rocester: P Wood, R Owen, G Reynolds, A Skelding, P Ede, M Ede, P Tortoishell, T Collins, M Ruddock, A Baum, K Milward. Substitutes: D Braithwaite, L Moran, T Barnett, G Douglas, A Alcock.

Uttoxeter Post & Times