Saturday 15th August 2009

F.A. Challenge Cup Extra Preliminary Round

Rocester 2 Wednesfield 1

Rocester will travel to play Dudley Sports in the Preliminary Round of the F.A. Cup on August 29th after they squeezed past Wednesfield on Saturday at the Extra Preliminary stage.

The Romans went through following a hard-earned 2-1 home win, while Dudley Sports beat Southam United by the same score to provide Alan Beaman’s team with another match against West Midlands League opposition in the next round.

It was no easy ride for Rocester, who had to reorganise their back four in the wake of Karl Charlton’s imminent departure to Stone Dominoes and Chris McComisky’s unavailability due to work commitments.

Beaman gave 16-year old Jack Langston his debut at right back while Dan McLeod moved inside to partner Darren Bullock at centre half, and there was also a first start in Rocester colours for midfielder James Curley following his summer move from Stone.

For much of the first half Rocester struggled to get into their stride, although Damion Jarrett was unlucky to see his 12th minute effort get a feint deflection to send it narrowly away from the target.

The Black Country side gave Rocester several scares leading up to the break as they grew in confidence, and perhaps sensed that an upset was on the cards. Mark Swann tested Richard Froggatt three times with decent efforts, the best of which saw the goalkeeper stretch acrobatically to tip a header over the bar, and they also had the ball in the net after 35 minutes only for Martin Lewis’s close range finish to be ruled out by an offside flag.

Rocester appeared to have heeded those warnings after a few choice words from Beaman during the break as they came out playing at a much better tempo and with more purpose.

Jarrett’s claims for a penalty after Danny Carter’s awkward tackle fell on deaf ears, and the striker then sent a glancing header from Mark Hodson’s cross agonisingly wide of the left upright.

The breakthrough arrived just before the hour after a grounded Mark Hall handled inside the area, leaving Jarrett with the opportunity to slam the spot kick high into the net.

Just seven minutes later Keenen Meakin-Richards’s lofted through ball saw Shawn Salmon race clear to double Rocester's lead with a confident finish, slotting neatly past goalkeeper Ben Astley.

Wednesfield almost pulled a goal back straight away when Swann clipped the ball over Froggatt only for it to bounce back into play off the crossbar, and the Romans escaped again when the visitors had a second effort ruled out for offside.

Swann finally got his reward eleven minutes from time with a strong far post header following a corner, which set up a tense finish as they unsuccessfully searched for an equaliser.

Scorers: Romans – Jarrett (58 pen), Salmon (65). Wednesfield – Swann (79).

Romans: Froggatt; Langston; Butler; Meakin-Richards (Beech 84); McLeod; Bullock; Hodson (Sheridan 60); Curley; Jarrett; Salmon (Redshaw 80); Shaw. Subs not used: Carr; Watkiss; Shannon-Lewis; Langridge.

Wednesfield: Astley; Charlton (Morton 87); Ecclestone; Rutter; Carter; Hall; Griffiths (Dodds 70); Onions; Lewis; Swann; Mason (Francis 70). Subs not used: Cugson; Hutt.

Yellow Cards: Hodson (Romans). Rutter, Morton (Wednesfield).

Referee: Mr. S. Abbott (Sutton-in-Ashfield).

Attendance: 69