Sutton Coldfield 3
Rovers 3

THEIR manager may have all but admitted defeat in the play-off race, but on current evidence there is no sign of Rovers letting this season peter out.

No sooner had Rod Brown come to the realisation that he is building for next season had his side banged in seven goals over the course of 180 minutes.

Brown’s comments in the press last week have divided Rovers supporters.

There are those who are full of admiration for the manager’s honesty and realistic look at his team’s progress.

The other camp were not so impressed, deeming it too early for the white flag to come out.

In all probability, there is a very slim chance of promotion being delivered to the green and white faithful this season.

But at this rate they will settle for entertainment as a consolation prize.

If last week’s 4-1 win over Bedworth United flattered Rovers given the quality of oppostion, Saturday’s thriller went some way to proving it wasn’t just a fluke.

Having battled back to 3-2 up and played the majority of the football - Sutton’s most effective weapon was the troublesome direct ball - Brown’s men can be forgiven for being disappointed not to take three points.

Given the circumstances though, which saw them finish the game with a patched up rearguard, it was an excellent point.

Already threadbare with the losses of goalkeeper Jimmy Dormand and defender Barry Woolley, Chris McHale and midfield bedrock Jamie Barrett soon added to the casualty list.

Both were unable to last beyond the first half and Rovers finished the game with youngsters Sam Beasley and Oliver O’Connell in their back four - the duo having one substitute appearance between them prior to kick-off.

But it was an afternoon to applaud the visitors’ work at the sharp end.

Who wouldn’t admire the performance of Graham Deakin - in terms of a footballing brain and natural class Rovers’ finest player - who scored arguably the goal of the season so far?

And you’d be hard pressed to find a member of the Rovers hardcore who hasn’t been heartened by the return of Nathan Lamey, who already looks capable forming a formidable partnership with Leon Kelly up front.

Snapping at their heels is super-sub Troy Wood, with two goals to his name after a lively 25 minute cameo.

His team-mates weren’t so sprightly at the other end, though, when Ed Booth found a gap in a static defence to deftly flick home Craig Owen’s corner to give Sutton their 18th minute lead.

Deakin levelled the scores 13 minutes later, rounding off the most sumptuous of team moves.

Cameron Jones crossed low from the right, Lamey stepped over it and Kelly fed the former Redditch United man, who jinked past two defenders before cutting it back across goal with his left foot.

It was certainly justice done for Rovers who hit the woodwork either side of the equaliser, firstly with Deakin’s rasping strike smashing the bar, while the trademark left boot of Lamey cannoned a 30-yarder off the post.

But so much for lightning never striking twice in the same place.

The last play before the break saw Owen and Booth combine again, the winger doing well to squeeze a cross in from the by-line and Booth was left with a much simpler task of heading past Karl Lewis.

Cue the impact of Wood. Thrown on midway through the half to energise a period of stagnation in the game, within 60 seconds the forward had the ball in the net.

The ex-Worcester City star’s predator-like instincts were on display, sliding in for the crucial touch as Sutton goalkeeper Jasbir Singh failed to hold Lamey’s cross-goal shot.

And he wasn’t done there.

Wood repeated the feat nine minutes later, again steering a Lamey effort past Singh after more tireless work from Deakin.

That proved the easy bit for Rovers.

It is these situations where nimble legs and experienced heads come in to play.

Through not entirely their own doing, they were unfortunately lacking this - more so the latter.

While Beasley had barely put a foot wrong since coming on, he hesitated in holding off Junior Brown.

The striker found himself clean through, and after a lucky ricochet off Lewis, substitute Jammille Matt was on hand to convert the home side’s get out of jail card.

In a game where key incidents had a habit of repeating themselves, an unlikely hero bucked the trend.

This, of course, was Paul Lloyd, who raced back to clear Matt’s second effort off the line, throwing further weight behind the case that while Rovers’ season might not end it glory, these closing months will be far from dull.

SUTTON COLDFIELD: Singh, Batchelor (Hughes, 78 mins), Wilson, Booth, Male, Owen, Quiggin, Robinson (Murrall, 70 mins), Brown, Farrell, Liversage (Matt, 58 mins). Unused subs: Davis, Roofe.

ROVERS: Lewis 6, Gardiner 7, O'Connell 6, McHale 6 (Beasley 5, 45 mins), Richards 6, DEAKIN 9, Jones 6 (Wood 8, 65 mins), Barrett 6 (Lloyd 7, 28 mins), Kelly 7, Lamey 7, Banner 6. Unused subs: Snape, Mullins-Fairweather.

Referee: Mr J.M.Law. Attendance: 195.