2023_24 Season – Match Report 07

Date – Wednesday 23^rd August 2023

Competition – Staffs County Senior League – Premier Division

Venue – Brereton Social, Armitage Lane, Brereton, Rugeley

Brereton Social FC v Rocester FC

Kick-off – 7:30pm

Result - Brereton Social FC 1-0 Rocester FC

 

Brereton take the points despite a spirited second half performance by the Romans...

 

The first half was largely dominated by Brereton as they took full advantage of the slope and held possession for long periods whilst repeatedly pressuring the Rocester defence. As a result, 'goal-scoring' opportunities for the Romans were few and far between...

 

With three minutes on the clock, the Romans' first attacking manoeuvre came to nothing following a poor shot straight at the 'keeper...

 

The Romans then spent the next 10 minutes stoutly defending before they mounted a second attack which culminated in a shot by Scott Bew from about 25 yards. Unfortunately, the shot sailed over the crossbar...

 

The Romans then spent a further fifteen minutes absorbing yet more pressure before mounting their next attack, and as a result of the pressure created right in front of Brereton's goal, the Romans were awarded an 'indirect' free kick some three yards inside the Brereton '18 yard' box following a defender's back-pass which was held by the 'keeper...

 

However, the shot was blocked and cleared...

 

Normal service then returned, and for the next fourteen minutes, Rocester continued to absorb yet more pressure, and with just one minute of the first half remaining, the Romans' defence was finally breached following a decent cross from the left which found Brad Hodgkinson who knocked in the ball at the far post...

 

 Half-time score: BSFC 1-0 RFC

 

Following the restart, Rocester now had the advantage of the slope, and they really took the game to their opponents as they harried and pressured Brereton...

 

With Rocester in the ascendancy, they really tested Brereton's resolve as they created numerous goalscoring opportunities before being awarded a corner on the sixty-minute mark - Owen Parr latched onto the ball and unleashed a 'goal-bound' shot. Unfortunately, the shot was cleared off the line...

 

Just four minutes later, Lewis McMurdo unleashed a speculative shot from about forty yards out only to see it sail over, but the Romans kept up the pressure and were soon advancing once more...

 

Mo Al Amin unleashed a dipping shot from about thirty-five yards, unfortunately, the 'keeper managed to tip it over the bar...

 

From the resulting corner, Sam Perrin latched onto the ball only to see his shot sail over the bar...

 

Minutes later, and with the Romans doing most of the attacking, Mo Al Amin saw a thirty-five yard 'pile driver' of a shot go just wide...

 

In the dying minutes, there was no let up by the Romans and they really kept the Brereton supporters on the edge of their seats as Mo Al Amin unleashed yet another shot which again went just wide and with almost the final move of the match, Lewis McMurdo fired a final shot which was saved.

 

Full-time score: BSFC 1-0 RFC

 

This was most definitely a 'game of two halves' with Brereton dominating the first half and Rocester dominating the second, and although we lost, the lads should 'hold their heads high' and take away the positives from this tough game...