Saturday 6th October 2007

Polymac Services Midland Football Alliance

Stapenhill 0 Rocester 1

Lee Bagley’s brilliantly taken goal after 68 minutes settled this local derby in Rocester’s favour, but it was a game the Romans should really have won far more convincingly.

Rocester’s frustration was beginning to build after a succession of chances and half chances had gone begging, then Bagley’s timely introduction from the bench to replace Dave Shaw paid immediate dividends when he found the net with his first touch of the ball after being on the pitch for just four minutes.

The striker was making his first appearance for almost two months after being sidelined with a knee injury, but when Rory Maxwell burst down the right and found Bagley on the edge of the penalty area with a pin-point cross he showed no signs of rustiness, steadying himself before directing a lovely first time volley straight into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Had Rocester’s other front men taken their shooting boots with them the game would have been over by half time. Adam McMahon had three excellent chances inside the opening fifteen minutes and although he scuffed the first one he was unlucky with the following two, forcing goalkeeper Craig Jones to beat away a powerful drive before cracking a rising shot against the post.

Shaw and Maxwell were off target with headers as Rocester continued to search for a way through, and Stapenhill probably should have made them pay when Rob Winson stabbed a shot against the post ten minutes before the break. Dean Latham then made a good save diving to his right to tip away Jon Jenkinson’s follow-up.

It was a similar story in the second half with Rocester doing most of the pressing and Stapenhill working hard to keep them out.

Ashley Sheridan sent McMahon clear only for the striker to take the ball too far wide as he went past Jones, and he couldn’t get enough on his angled shot to beat the covering Simon Wczasek.

A far post header by Shaw kept Jones busy and Maxwell fired into the side-netting before Bagley made his telling contribution.

The lead should have been increased when another great chance fell to McMahon, this time he raced away on to Sheridan’s accurate through ball before blazing his shot over the bar.

For the final 10 minutes or so Stapenhill pushed forward to try and force an equaliser, and they almost grabbed one when Phil Wheildon curled a shot narrowly wide.

Romans Star Man: Mark Ruddock – A dominant figure at the back.

Stapenhill: Jones; Pickering; Bromley; Wczasek; McCarron; Winson; Lonsdale (Wheildon 65); Dunn (Wagstaff 78); Jenkinson; Gough; Shales. Subs not used: Thomas.

Romans: Latham; Smith; Allen; Ward; Ruddock; Brown; Maxwell; Gadsby (Heath 75); Shaw (Bagley 64); McMahon; Sheridan (Sowter 76). Subs not used: Henderson; Reilly.

Yellow\Red Cards: None.

Referee: Mr. P. Reade (Wolverhampton).

Attendance: 90.