2023_24 Season – Match Report 09
Date – 1st September 2023
Competition – Staffs County Senior League – Premier Division
Venue – Hillsfield, Rocester
Rocester FC v Ball Haye Green FC
Kick-off 7:30pm
Result - Rocester FC 0-1 Ball Haye Green FC
A disappointing night as the Romans rue their missed opportunities to lose by one goal to nil….
Friday night saw the Romans welcoming former RFC manager (Paul Wright) and his team from Ball Haye Green, (which featured a number of former Romans amongst its line-up) and so there was plenty to play for…
The Romans started brightly enough and initially, they appeared to be in control as they made a number of ‘telling’ runs down the right wing deep into Ball Haye Green’s territory.
Around the ten-minute mark, following yet another such run, the ball was played into Scott Bew, right in front of the opposition’s goal. Unfortunately, he managed to pull his shot wide of the goal…
This missed ‘golden’ opportunity may well have proved to be a turning point and although Rocester continued to maintain the pressure for another five minutes or so without reward, the visitors made their first real incursion into the Rocester half as they appeared to be growing in confidence…
There then ensued a period of ‘attack’ followed by ‘counter attack’ which saw both teams’ efforts ‘breaking down’ in the ‘final third’ and it was not until the twenty-fourth minute that Ball Haye Green had their first shot following a poor clearance by Rocester straight to an advancing BHG striker who’s shot curled just wide.
Just two minutes later, and BHG broke forward again and were awarded a ‘free kick’ just outside the Romans’ 18-yard box following a foul. Fortunately for Rocester, Lewis Jackson was able to save the resulting shot…
The Romans immediately countered and forced a corner which was dealt with by BHG as they in turn broke to force a corner of their own. However, the corner came to nothing…
This was how the game proceeded for yet another fifteen minutes or so until just prior to half-time when following two consecutive corners awarded to Rocester, BHG broke forward only to see their shot saved…
However, following the clearance, BHG quickly regained possession, broke in numbers and following a nice ‘one-two’, Lewis Rowley slotted home to make it ‘one – nil’ to the visitors right on ‘half-time’…
Half-time Score: RFC 0-1 BHGFC
Following the restart, there was more of the same with ‘attack’ followed by ‘counter attack’ and it was BHG who had the first attempt only to see it saved…
Just three minutes later and Rocester broke up the left and Izaak Walsh latched onto the cross only to shoot over the ‘bar.
Two minutes later, Rocester forced a corner which came to nothing…
Rocester maintained the pressure and less than two more minutes had lapsed before RFC were awarded a free kick on the left and deep into the visitors’ half – however, the shot was put out behind to force yet another corner – which in turn came to nothing…
A further five minutes passed before the Romans once again made a telling break up the left to supply Izaak Walsh, who saw yet another shot sail over the ‘bar.
Just five minutes later and following yet another break by Rocester, Mo Al Amin took aim from about 25 yards out, only to see his shot fly over the bar.
At this point, the Romans made two substitutions – bringing on Rhian Graham and Lewis McMurdo for Luke Smith and Scott Bew.
For the next four or five minutes the action centred around the middle of the pitch as the teams battled for possession before BHG broke forward, only to shoot straight at ‘keeper Jackson.
Within another two minutes, following yet another break by BHG, they found the back of the net only to find that they were adjudged to have been offside when they broke!
Rocester countered immediately and once again, Mo Al Amin found himself in possession in the visitors’ 18-yard box. It took three of the oppositions’ defenders to literally ‘wrestle’ him off the ball as a massive shout went up for a penalty. However, the appeal fell on deaf ears as the referee played on!
For the remainder of the match, Rocester kept up the pressure only to see every corner, every shot and every darting run come to nothing and so despite the industry and hard work displayed by the team, they just couldn’t find the back of the net and finished the game ‘empty-handed’.
Full-time score: RFC 0-1 BHGFC