Smith double downs Rovers (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Smith double downs Rovers

6:51pm Saturday 14th February 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

Rovers 1
Chasetown 2

DANNY Smith shot down Rovers with two brilliantly taken goals at the Victoria Ground this afternoon.

Although it was a fourth straight defeat for Rod Brown's men, they gave a much-improved performance.

The Greens had yet more new faces in their starting line-up, with Richard Ball returning for another spell at the club from Redditch United, while Adam Daly, brought in from Solihull Moors, and James Hancox, from Tamworth, started at centre-back and left wingback respectively.

New signings from Walsall James Travis and Joseph Howes were also named on the bench.

Smith's 53rd minute wonder strike gave Chasetown the lead.

It came when Rovers cleared a Mark Branch corner, but it fell to the forward, who crashed a brilliant overhead volley past Rovers goalkeeper Chris Kiely.

Eleven minutes later, Smith was rewarded for his bravery when he headed home from close range after Richard Teesdale headed Mark Branch's corner goalwards.

Howes came off the bench to score on his debut for Rovers and set up a tense finish.

He did well to rob the visitors' goalkeeper Ryan Price of the ball just inside the penalty area and was left with a simple finish.

Cameron Jones should have levelled things up for Rovers three minutes from time.

The winger did the hard work, holding off two defenders after collecting Travis' through ball, but Price held his weak shot.

ROVERS: Kiely, Wood, Richards, Gardiner, Daly, Deakin, Barrett, Jones, Ball (Travis, 65 mins), Kelly (Howes, 75 mins), Hancox (Lloyd, 61 mins). Unused subs: Snape, McHale.

CHASETOWN: Price, J.Branch, M.Branch, Thomas, Teesdale, Williams, Steane, Slater, Birch, Smith, Batchelor. Unused subs: Perrow, Ricketts, Reynolds, Burley, Sheppard.

Referee: Mr L.Forrester (Birmingham). Attendance: 328.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURE ACTION FROM SATURDAY'S GAME

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)