Saturday 19th April 2008

Staffordshire Senior League

Stallington 1 Rocester Reserves 6               Report by Phil Shaw

Rocester hit basement boys Stallington for six with a devastating performance despite having to field a depleted and reshuffled side.

Missing a number of players, the ones that came in took their chances to impress and both Phil Shaw (left) and Paul Milward (below right) netted a hat-trick each.

Windy conditions made it difficult in the first half but Paul Millward, who has just returned from a lengthy suspension, opened the scoring with a low drive past the keeper.

Milward soon added a second with a cheeky flick after good work by Phil Bull to lose two defenders before putting in a low cross.

Stallington created a few golden chances but couldn't finish them off, one from their captain was air-balled with the net at his mercy and successive saves from Karl Smith kept Rocester in front.

Eventually Stallington managed to pull one back after some slack defending at the back post allowed former Roman Marc Hubbard a free shot, which he smashed into Rocester's net to make it 2-1.

The wind in the second half helped the Romans and a neat through-ball from the right found Phil Shaw, who lobbed the advancing keeper to make it 3-1.

Milward then bagged his third of the afternoon, again after the wind had carried the ball on, with a low drive past the flailing keeper.

Phil Shaw bagged the fifth Rocester goal with a timely strike from all of 3 yards after excellent work from Milward on the right driving in a low cross.

Shaw's hat-trick was completed minutes later when again good work from Milward found Shaw lurking at the back post and connecting from 6 yards to finish the game.

Stallington committed men forward to try to salvage something but all to no avail.

Phil Shaw could have bagged a fourth after a cross from the right found him in the middle but his powerful header struck the crossbar.

Overall an excellent performance from the Reserves, with a special mention to captain for the day Karl Smith. Superb in goal and excellent motivation....