City punish sloppy Greens

9:18am Wednesday 5th September 2007

ROVERS were punished for their sloppy defending by the roaring Tigers last night (Tuesday).

It was a stark contrast from the resolute display at Team Bath on Saturday, as the Greens caved in to Gloucester's relentless pressure.

Rod Brown made two changes from Saturday's win at Twerton Park, with Wayne Dyer and Lucan Spittle replacing Jamie Petty and John Snape.

But the manager saw his side outfought and outclassed by the visitors, who had not won since the opening day of the season.

However, it could have been a different story had Jermaine Clarke not missed two guilt-edged chances in the first five minutes.

The powerful forward volleyed over from close range after meeting Gary Hay's cross from the left hand side, and he shot wide moments later after charging down Marc Richards' clearance.

But Jason Welsh capitalised on a howler from Rovers goalkeeper Karl Lewis to give City a 17th minute lead.

Lewis was caught in no man's land as he came to collect Tom Webb's near post cross, and Welsh turned brilliantly before slotting between two Bromsgrove defenders from six yards.

City continued to probe, but Rovers managed to get themselves back into the game four minutes before the break when Clarke equalised from a corner.

Dave Bridgwater collected the ball from Les Hines and curled a pin-point cross to the back post for Clarke to head powerfully past the vistors' custodian Kevin Sawyer.

However, the Tigers were unfazed by the setback, and were rewarded on 54 minutes.

Jamie Read was given space to deliver from deep and he picked out Sam Ellis who found the corner of the net with his header.

It got even better just after the hour mark when Chris McHale clattered Welsh inside the box, leaving the referee with no option but to point to the spot.

Alex Sykes stepped up and struck firmly to Lewis' left to make it 3-1.

Nathan Lamey had Rovers' only real second-half opportunities, sending a 30 yard snapshot off target, before dragging a left-footed half volley well wide.

But City substitute Jack Pitcher capped a super individual performance by grabbing the fourth on 70 minutes.

He was first to react when centre back Lucan Spittle sold Lewis short with a back header.

Pitcher left the defender in his tracks and delicately lobbed the keeper to complete the rout.

ROVERS: Lewis 4, McHale 5, Hines 6, Heeley 6, Spittle 4, Alsop 6 (Taylor 5, 67 mins), Lloyd 5, Bridgwater 6 (Walters 5, 67 mins), Hay 6 (Lamey, 41 mins), CLARKE 7, Dyer 5. Unused: Snape, Cotterill.

GLOUCESTER: Sawyer, Reid (Allard, 82 mins), Price, Mustoe, Richards, Thompson, Ellis, Webb, Griffin (Pitcher, 45 mins), Welsh, Sykes (Wilkinson, 85 mins). Unused: Whittington, Taylor.

Referee: Mr G.Mellor. Attendance: 548.

EDITORS CHOICE