Craig Hulme takes on some Stafford Town defenders. (Click to enlarge)

Liam Holt (No.7) puts Rocester ahead (Click to enlarge)

Chris McComisky is tackled by Stafford's Dave Wodvine (Click to enlarge)

Liam Holt surges into the Stafford Town penalty area (Click to enlarge)

Christian Dacres looks for an opening (Click to enlarge)

Not this time - Steve Bennett's effort is about to be saved by Peter Ingram (Click to enlarge)

Darren Bullock challenges for a free kick in the Stafford Town penalty area. (Click to enlarge)Saturday 24th July 2010

 

Pre-Season Friendly

 

Stafford Town 0 Rocester 3 (Match abandoned after 73minutes)

 

After a slow start Rocester eventually ran out comfortable winners in this competitive pre-season friendly fixture at Evans Park.

 

The hosts had a couple of good chances to have taken the lead early in the game but former Romans striker Paul McMahon put one effort wide of the far right post and saw stand-in goalkeeper Danny Edwards react brilliantly to touch another close-range shot crashing against the underside of the bar.

 

However, after those early scares Rocester settled down and broke the deadlock on the half-hour through Liam Holt, who collected Jack Langston's corner at the far post and fired the ball into the net off home goalkeeper Paul Burn.

 

Rocester, playing some superb passing football, took complete control after the break and they were rewarded with a second goal in the 51st minute. Craig Hulme's surging run and defence-splitting pass sent Luke Chapman into the area, where he was taken down as he attempted to go past a defender - leaving Jack Langston to strike the resulting penalty firmly into the net.

 

It was 3-0 on 70 minutes when Steve Bennett side-footed into an empty net following some good work by Chapman inside the box.

 

The incident that led to the game being abandoned (Click to enlarge)The now rampant Romans were, however, stopped in their tracks just three minutes later following a serious injury to Stafford's veteran substitute goalkeeper Peter Ingram, who had replaced Burn at half time.

 

Ingram came way out of his area to clear, but he and Liam Holt went for the 50/50 ball only for both players to end up writhing on the ground. Holt was able to walk away from the incident after receiving treatment, but Ingram wasn't so fortunate and was taken by ambulance to the nearby hospital for x-rays on a possible broken leg. We wish him well.

 

Following the clash both managers and the match officials were happy to agree to the game being abandoned.

 

Romans: Edwards; McComisky; Fleming; Dacres; Bullock; Wain; Holt; Langston; Chapman; Bird (Bennett 30); Hulme. Subs not used: Simpson; Hodson; Davies; Justin.