F.A. Vase 2nd Qualifying Round

Rocester 2 Tipton Town 3

Rocester will be kicking themselves after losing a game they did enough to have won.

The Romans missed two great opportunities inside the opening two minutes. Firstly, Dave Shaw shot across the goal and wide after he had brought down Rory Maxwell's corner, and then a smart move ended with Mark Hodson's shot being saved when he had just the keeper to beat.

Rocester held the upper hand in a good, open game but it was Tipton who took the lead when a break down their left wing resulted in Ashley Langford heading in Danny Coates' cross.

Shaw, Maxwell and Nick Ward all saw decent efforts come to nothing, and it was the visitors who made the most of their chances when Nicky Campbell headed their second goal, this time from Scott Stevenson's 41st minute cross.

Campbell had hit the post five minutes earlier, and Shaw also struck a post at the other end with the last kick of the first half.

The second half belonged to Rocester as they pressed continuously to try and get back into the game.

They were eventually rewarded when the referee pointed to the penalty spot after a foul on Hodson, and Shaw whipped it into the net to reduce the arrears.

Further Romans pressure saw substitute Adam McMahon level the scores when he darted in behind a hesitant defence to clip the ball past Danny Watson.

Tails up, Rocester went for the win, but when they failed to deal with a ball into their own penalty area two minutes from time, Tipton substitute Calum Martin slotted it past Dean Latham for the winner.

Five minutes stoppage time was played but there was no way through for the Romans.

Scorers: Romans – Shaw (59 pen); McMahon (81). Tipton – Langford (22); Campbell (41); Martin (88).

Romans: Latham; Smith; C.Allen; Ward; Ruddock; Brown; Maxwell (Sowter 70); Gadsby; Shaw; Hodson (McMahon 70); Reilly. Subs not used: P.Johnson; Henderson; Bennett.

Tipton: Watson; Bragoli; Love; Huckfield; Harris; T.Johnson; Langford; Coates; Bullimore (Martin 71); Campbell (M.Allen 71); Stevenson. Subs not used: Hamilton; Turner; Cox.

Yellow cards: Romans – Hodson. Tipton – Stevenson; Huckfield.

Referee: Mr. A. Broadley (Buxton).

Attendance: 75.

Star Man – Dave Shaw – A constant threat.