F.A. Challenge Cup 1st Qualifying Round

Rocester 0 Chasetown 1

Match sponsored by Burslem Brake Services Ltd.

Ball sponsored by Les Swanwick Electrical Ltd.

There was to be no repeat of last season’s F.A. Cup heroics for Rocester after they were sunk by a single Chasetown goal at Hillsfield on Saturday.

Rocester’s pre-match plan to frustrate their opponents before launching their own bid for victory in the final quarter had worked perfectly for almost an hour, until they were finally undone by a set-piece that was as simple as it was effective.

Ben Steane hoisted a corner kick from the right deep into the Romans’ penalty area, and Kyle Perry managed to ghost in from behind to direct a powerful header into the net.

Up until that point the Romans had been prepared to concede possession and concentrate on their defensive duties. It was a ploy that had limited the Scholars to just one real opportunity, and that was the direct result of another corner midway through the first period.

This time, Steane’s short corner was played inside for Paul Spacey to try his luck with a neat chip that bounced off the top of Dean Latham’s crossbar.

Perry’s 57th minute goal forced Rocester to come out of their shell, and they quickly introduced Mark Orpe to join lone striker Dave Shaw up front.

The Romans began asking a few questions of the Chasetown rearguard, and when Ashley Sheridan delivered a corner to the far side of the area Nick Ward came running in to meet it with a downward header that was scrambled away.

Sheridan then produced a great touch to send Orpe clear of the defence, but he perhaps had too much time to pick his spot and his low shot was well blocked by goalkeeper Lee Evans with his legs. The chance wasn’t quite over though, as the rebound came out to Shaw who followed up with a first time shot that was bundled away by one of the defenders who had rushed back to cover.

Adam McMahon then came off the bench to provide a three-pronged attack for the last twelve minutes, but there was no way through for a battling Rocester side who can at least take a great deal of credit for taking a good Chasetown side to the wire.

Romans Star Man: Mark Ruddock – Resolute performance at the back.

Scorers: Chasetown – Perry (57).

Romans: Latham; Dan Smith; Allen; Ward; Ruddock; Bennett (Orpe 65); Maxwell (A.McMahon 78); Heath (Brown 16); Shaw; Gadsby; Sheridan. Subs not used: Johnson; Sowter.

Chasetown: Evans; Spacey; Branch; Slater; Thomas; Williams; Steane; Parsons; Perry; Perrow; Holland. Subs not used: P.McMahon; Peel; Danny Smith; S.Smith; Twigger.

Yellow Cards: Romans – Ward & Shaw.

Referee: Mr. D. Gratton (Pendeford).

Attendance: 207.