Greens finish pre-season with comfortable victory

9:07am Wednesday 15th August 2007

GOALS from Sam Alsop, Neil Davis, Kevin Banner and Jermaine Clarke helped Bromsgrove Rovers canter an impressive win against their British Gas Business South and West Division opponents.

After a nightmare journey down the M5, kick-off was put back from 2pm by 15 minutes as the Rovers squad didn't arrive at the Winterfield Road ground until 1.45pm.

But the hold-ups failed to stop Rovers from hitting their stride in their final pre-season friendly.

However, it was the home side who were quickly out of the blocks with Chris Lane forcing Karl Lewis to save with his feet in after just three minutes.

The Green's were then indepted to Carl Heeley's positioning, when the defender cleared a Robbie Claridge effort off the line.

Rovers took the lead in the 19th minute when Alsop turned and powered a shot from inside the area past Dave Dyson, beating the Paulton goalkeeper at his near post.

A minute later they doubled their lead.

Dave Bridgwater crossed the ball from the right and Davis rose unchallenged to glance the ball inside the left hand post leaving Dyson routed to his line.

Alsop's astute pass inside the right back set Banner away for number three.

The winger took an early shot early across goal and found the bottom right hand corner.

Paulton had their chances with Mark Harrington's snap shot flying inches wide, while Rob Cousins went close after the Greens failed to clear a free kick.

Claridge reduced the arrears on 37 minutes.

Harrington threaded a through ball to the big striker, who beat the offside trap, and Heeley got back but could only deflect the effort which looped over the stranded Lewis to make it 3-1.

Chances Paulton kicked off the second half with more chances, with substitute Nathan Lamey getting straight into the thick of the action.

He got across to clear over his own crossbar to deny Pete Sheppard, before Lewis turned Lane's shot round the post after a surging run.

Lamey was again forced to clear over his own bar as he cut out Lane's cross.

Heeley was presented with a golden chance for Rovers just past the hour mark, after the ball rebounded off Mark James, but his effort cannoned off the post and back into the goalkeeper's arms.

Davis had a vicious shot turned around the post by Dyson in the 64th minute as the Greens turned up the pressure on Paulton.

The deserved victory was wrapped up 13 minutes from time.

Banner broke from defence and played a one-two with Alsop before hitting a delightful ball over the last defender for Clarke.

The big striker held off his marker and buried the ball past the advancing Dyson to wrap up a successful unbeaten pre-season campaign for Rovers.

PAULTON: Dyson, Bryant (Pendry, 60 mins), Lane (Sherwood, 62 mins), Marshall, Hudson (James, 56 mins), Cousins, Cleverley, Harrington (Casey, 65 mins), Claridge, Cleverley, Sheppard (Hulbert, 53 mins).

ROVERS: Lewis, McHale, Lloyd, Heeley, Taylor (Spittle, 74 mins), Alsop, Cotterill (Lamey, 46 mins), Bridgwater, Russell (Clarke, 60 mins), Davis, Banner.

Referee: Steve Beer (Somerset). Attendance: 151.

EDITORS CHOICE