Saturday 8th September 2007 – Polymac Services Midland Football Alliance

Coventry Sphinx 1 Rocester 1

Rocester had goalkeeper Dean Latham (left) to thank after he produced a string of magnificent saves to earn the Romans a share of the spoils at Sphinx Drive on Saturday.

Latham’s heroics during the last half hour were largely responsible for Rocester extending their unbeaten run to six matches, but with Chasetown visiting Hillsfield this weekend in the F.A. Cup the local side will have to perform much better than this if they are to cause an upset.

At Coventry, Rocester were without the suspended trio of Dave Shaw, Rory Maxwell and Mark Hodson, which possibly accounted for a performance that at times lacked cohesion and understanding.

It was, however, an open game between two sides prepared to go forward at every opportunity, and chances were coming at either end of the pitch.

Rocester’s first opening came courtesy of Nick Ward’s pass into the penalty area that allowed Adam McMahon time to turn and shoot for the bottom right corner. It looked a goal all the way until Callum Harrison in the home goal dived full length to make the first quality save of the afternoon.

Then, with 34 minutes played, Sphinx took the lead after a mix-up in the Romans defence. Dave Brown’s back-pass went past Latham who had left his line, and although he raced back to hook the ball clear it was quickly returned into the box for Robbie Scott to net with a shot that took a wicked deflection on its way in.

Latham then managed to tip away another effort from Scott as the home side finished the half strongly, but two half time substitutions appeared to turn the tide in Rocester’s favour. Martin Gadsby and Liam Sowter replaced Peter Johnson and Adam McMahon, and Rocester injected some pace and much-needed drive into their game.

The Romans began knocking the ball around with more purpose and direction, and a smooth interchange of passes down the left flank led to Carl Allen delivering a low cross that was forced in by debutant Mark Orpe, his first time shot spinning up off Harrison’s body and over the line.

Harrison then got a touch to keep out Ashley Sheridan’s header and he followed that by acrobatically tipping Sowter’s dipping 20-yard effort over the bar. Rocester looked to be well in control at this point, but the introduction of Jerome Murdock from the Sphinx bench took their initiative away. Murdock caused all sorts of problems with his strength and pace, and but for Latham he would surely have taken Sphinx to victory. A last-ditch Brown tackle had already denied Murdock before Latham dived to his left to palm a powerful low drive away from the substitute after he had broken clear. That was a decent enough save, but the two that followed were quite breath-taking as the keeper leapt magnificently to tip over a Scott header before he somehow stretched to reach another Murdock shot, touching it onto the inside of his left upright before the ball flew across the face of the goal and wide of the other post for a goal kick.

Ashley Sheridan lays the ball off.

Latham still wasn’t finished, as with just three minutes remaining he came out to meet Murdock who had burst clear for the second time, and blocked his shot with his legs.

Romans Star Man: Dean Latham – Memorable saves.

Scorers: Sphinx - Scott (34). Romans – Orpe (54).

Sphinx: Harrison; McGregor; Holmes; Drennan; McAteer; Cudworth; M.Owen (Fisher 81); Rhodes; Scott; Woodward (Murdock 65); Knibbs. Subs not used: Maguire; Harris; Elliot.

Romans: Latham; Johnson (Gadsby 45); Allen; Ward; Ruddock; Brown; Soane; Heath; Orpe (Owen 80); McMahon (Sowter 45); Sheridan. Subs not used: Fletcher; Henderson.

Yellow Cards: Sphinx – Knibbs. Romans – Ward.

Referee: Mr. R. Patterson (West Midlands).

Attendance: 75.