Tuesday 12th August 2008

Aspire Midland Football Alliance

Shifnal Town 3 Rocester 1

Rocester's midweek trip to Pheonix Park ended in defeat but it might easily have been a different story had they taken their chances in the early part of the game.

For the first 20 minutes or so the Romans were much the more dangerous side, and with some better finishing and a little more luck they would have taken control of the game.

However, they didn't take them and Shifnal made them pay with three quick-fire goals around the halfway stage.

With ten minutes on the clock, Gareth Langford and Liam Sowter combined superbly to set up Lee Bagley inside the area, but the striker miscued his shot and the ball bobbled wide.

Shortly afterwards Gary Beardsley's 20-yard drive was pushed away for a corner by Damien Stevens in the Shifnal goal; Rory Maxwell lofted the kick to the far post where Bagley got up well to head the ball into the net, but his effort was harshly ruled out by the referee who penalised Bagley for pushing.

Rocester continued to make the running but missed two more excellent chances when Sowter fired narrowly over the bar and Langford mis-kicked from 10 yards.

But then the home side started to find their feet and Rocester lived dangerously as a number of marginal offside decisions went in their favour.

Craig Gregg had already hit the post for Shifnal before they introduced Danny Dubidat from the substitutes bench after 40 minutes, and he turned the game decisively for his side almost immediately.

Martin Gadsby - headed Rocester's consolation goal...After setting up an opening goal for Gordon Simms in first half stoppage time, Dubidat then used his pace against a static back line to net breakaway goals in both the 49th and 51st minutes.

Rocester battled on gamely, pulling a goal back on the hour through Martin Gadsby who headed a Beardsley corner past Stevens from six yards.

Gadsby forced the ball over the line fifteen minutes later but the whistle had already been blown for an infringement in the crowded goalmouth.

Scorers: Shifnal - Simms (45), Dubidat (49 & 51). Romans: Gadsby (61).

Shifnal: Stevens; Andrewartha; Jones; Brown; Simms; Holdcroft; Gregg; Johnson; Hall (Dubidat 40); Jackson; Jevons (Cain 82). Subs not used: Porter; Hitchcroft; Wheeler.

Rocester: Wood; Grimley; Douglas; Gadsby; McCarron; Wooliscroft; Maxwell (Hodson 79); Beardsley; Langford; Bagley (Shoker 65); Sowter (Sheridan 74). Subs not used: Milward; Owen.

Yellow Cards: Shifnal - Johnson. Romans - Langford; Grimley; Bagley; Hodson.

Referee: Mr. T. Harty (Wolverhampton).

Attendance: 91.