Tuesday 12th September 2006 – Polymac Midland Football Alliance

Rocester 0 Loughborough Dynamo 2

A dismal 90 minutes from Rocester handed Loughborough three easy points at Hillsfield last night.

The Romans barely mustered a shot on target throughout the entire game and will quickly need to make some dramatic improvements if they are to avoid yet another season of turmoil.

It took the visitors just five minutes to open the scoring; Kris Nurse took advantage when the ball broke to him just inside the area, sidestepping around goalkeeper Paul Wood before tapping into an empty net.

Rocester’s defensive formation left acres of space in the wide areas for Dynamo’s midfielders to run into, and had Nurse and his strike partners made the most of the many chances that came their way the Romans would have been dead and buried inside thirty minutes.

As it was, some wayward finishing, along with two particularly notable saves from Wood to deny Nurse and Mike McLarnon, kept Rocester in with a shout.

Then a suicidal back-pass by Nick Ward allowed Nurse a clear run at goal, and this time he picked his spot to give Wood no chance.

Chris Rowley’s dipping shot that just cleared the bar was as good as it got for the home side, although they made a much better fist of things in the second period.

However, despite it being a more even contest Rocester had Wood to thank again when he brilliantly tipped another Nurse effort over the bar.

In the very last minute Rocester were awarded a penalty after Jake Betts had tripped Kevin Millward as he made his way into the area. Mick Ede sent Matt Nurse the wrong way but his kick rebounded to safety off the post.

Rocester: Wood; Rowley; Douglas (Allen 45); M.Ede; Brown; W.Johnson; Gadsby (Owen 45); Ward; Ruddock (Maxwell 84); Moran; Millward. Subs not used: P.Johnson; Hubbard.

Dynamo: M.Nurse; Grassby; Betts; Matthews; R.Nurse; Coates; Kitching; McLarnon; Brennan; K.Nurse; Morgan (Francis 86). Subs not used: Folwell; White.

Scorers: Dynamo: K. Nurse (5 & 29).

Yellow Cards: Millward (Rocester). Grassby & Brennan (Dynamo).

Referee: Mr. C. Rushton (Stone)

Attendance: 74