UniBond League Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 21st August 2007, 7.45pm
Last Gasp Rovers Grab The Points
Anyone leaving the Moat Ground ten minutes before the end of the game would not believe what he or she were seeing when checking the final score.
This was the first of three meetings between the two sides as, under the new league set-up, extra games have been included to make up the numbers. The usual Christmas fixtures are planned for Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
As is the custom this game was a competitive, keenly fought affair with the visitors having the best of the game for 75 minutes or so but courage, grit and determination from an under strength Rovers saw them claim an unlikely three points.
The first 25 minutes where largely without any chances from either side of note except for Ade Adelukan putting Tom Guiney's cross from the left well over the bar.
However, the striker soon made amends opening the scoring for the visitors four minutes later. Guiney again made a good run down the right but his cross was blocked and the clearance from Rovers charged down causing the bounce to find Adelukan who looped his header over keeper David Clarke who was caught in two minds whether to come and attempt to catch the ball or to stay on his line. In the end he did neither and was left stranded as the ball flew into the net.
The celebrations after the goals showed just how much this match means to either side.
Rovers were making runs towards the Dynamo goal but the moves were breaking down in the final third with wasteful passes and long-range shots being their only chances of the first period.
Clarke, who was not having the best of times, almost gifted the visitors a goal on 39 minutes when he raced way off his line to try and beat Adelukan to the ball. The striker comfortably beat him but luckily for Clarke a defender was in place to clear the danger for a corner.
Dynamo then had a penalty shout turned down by referee Mr Grove when the ball appeared to strike the arm of Rovers defender Martyn Rowntree in the area just a couple of minutes before the break.
Rovers made the first chance of the second half when on 53 minutes Shaun Ridgway sent Chris Sleath on his way down the right but the resulting low cross into the box was just inches in front of Karl Payne and the striker couldn't connect with the ball.
Adelukan should have doubled his tally for the game on 68 minutes when he managed to get behind defender Jamie Hood but he pushed his shot wide of the on-rushing Clarke and beyond the far post.
Seconds later it was Chris Parr who went close for the visitors but his shot from just inside the box was pushed away by Clarke.
Rovers made a change bringing on David Brown for Chris Sleath and the on-loan striker was immediately into the fray putting in a cross that found Payne but the final shot was well blocked.
Brown then had a glorious chance of getting on the score sheet seconds later when he was put though on goal after a slip by a visiting defender but instead of taking the ball forward he tried to lob Hately seeing his effort sail over the bar.
Rovers were beginning to get on top as surprisingly the Dynamo defence appeared to be tiring and they got back on terms on 78 minutes when Chris Mawbey, through a crowded box, stabbed home a cross from the left.
If Rovers thought they'd drawn a 'get out of jail' card so late in the match there was yet still more twists and turns to come.
Dynamo regained the lead with just four minutes of regular time remaining when former Rovers reserve team player Andy Dunn slung in a deep free kick from the left. Again, Clarke appeared to dither at his far post allowing Sam Carter to fire home from close in.
The best move of the game ended with Rovers levelling yet again on 89 minutes. From deep in defence the ball found Karl Wayte who in turn picked out Hood, who had been pushed up front, on the left just inside the area and the defender hit an unstoppable shot that left Dynamo keeper Gary Hateley clutching at fresh air as it rocketed into his top corner.
If a draw seemed unfair to the Dynamo faithful worse was still to come. On 90 minutes Brown beat the tiring Dynamo back line and the young striker this time made no mistake coolly slipping the ball past Hateley for the unlikeliest of victories.
Manager's View
"One-nil down, I was very disappointed with the goal, but Shepshed defended their lead very well and they played some great football and it did look difficult and it looked as though we lacked creativity and some ideas to try and break them down.
"We know we are nowhere near where we want to be yet but what's got us through there is just guts and determination going to the end.
"I think we equalised on the seventy eight minute - and then to concede again in the manner we did - Andy Dunn put a great free kick in but we sat on Dave Clarke's toes we were so deep and if you go so deep you have to win the first header and get distance on it. We didn't win it, the ball is ricocheting around and the Shepshed player, whoever put it in I wasn't sure, is alert and put it in and you're kicking yourself because four goals this season and we've not helped ourselves with those four.
"The guys showed tremendous character. We've gone four up front chucking Hoody (Jamie Hood) up there as a gamble and what a dream. He's been up there two minutes and Karl Wayte who came on and out himself about a bit and had a hand in all three goals, slipped him into an absolutely great position and I was thinking "damn, anybody but Jamie in that situation but he's absolutely creamed it into the top corner- fantastic!
"And then, a fantastic finish from David Brown and to get three points from the situation we were in - I said to one of my good mates Simon Van de Broucke their assistant I'd have taken a point with ten minutes to go just after we'd equalised but to get three is fantastic.
"We are pleased but we are not going to get too carried away because we know we've got a hell of a lot of work to do and I genuinely feel sorry for the Shepshed guys, their supporters and players because they put on a great shift tonight and battled really well and came away with nothing. My heart goes out to them because they deserved something from the game.
"It's well documented that we've struggled to bring in strikes. That's no disrespect to those who played up there they've worked their socks off. Karl Payne started there tonight and you've seen an absolute workman like performance. He's battled hard and he's done very, very well for us but we're just missing that experience striker at this level who can get you fifteen, twenty goals a season. I guess I'm not the only manager at this level, some clubs have got them and others like ourselves, potentially Shepshed and several other clubs are looking for them.
"We are still in talks with one or two it is proving frustrating but we go with what we've got.
"Carl Slater has seen his physio today and he's got to build the muscle up around the knee. He's very down and disappointed but he recognises that he's got to do that hard work before he can be considered.
"Andy Simpson, we are not really too sure. Groins are very difficult ones to assess. We are trying to leave him off it as much as possible and trying to get him bits of treatment and we'll see if he's ready to do some light training towards the end of this week.
"Paul Edwards declared himself fit, after a fitness test, for the bench tonight but we decided we wanted to give him a few more days rest to make sure. Our concern was that he might get a knock on it or go over on it and again rule himself out and with the forwards situation at the club critical as it is we just couldn't afford that. He's very much in contention for Saturday.
"Adam Hencliffe - up here on crutches - is three weeks away from training. Frustratingly, Luke Edwards was not involved tonight because Tamworth wanted to have a look at him in their reserves against Burton's Youth Team. I'm very frustrated with that situation bearing in mind that he wasn't used on Saturday at all. He wasn't included in the sixteen and Luke is one of the players that we have in the squad that can play. He's got pace to get past either side of people and can also play up front. It is frustrating because we've got an agreement with Tamworth but at the moment we are coming out not very well on that one so we might have to review things.
"Tom Betteridge has trained tonight. He feels he's in contention for a place in the reserve team on Saturday. Again we want to take that one carefully because we don't want any setbacks.
"When we get Tom back and Morgan Hurley back they are going to be massive assets offensively to us.
"We were disappointed with the first half tonight. We had some good little spells but we didn't move the ball quickly enough. Shepshed's midfield bossed it they picked up far too may second balls and we were frustrated with that and if we perform in a similar manner on Saturday like we did in the first half today then Cammell Laird will take full advantage of that.
"But it's very early days and I'm sure the likes of ourselves and Shepshed will reflect on this particular result but we won't read too much into it because there are lots and lots of games to come. After six or seven games we will sit down and start looking at how things are shaping up.
"We've had luck tonight to get all three points without a shadow of a doubt but we are not going to hide from that. Early last season we had a particularly bad start and the luck wasn't with us. Sometimes you get the luck and sometimes you don't and tonight Lady Luck was on our side. I felt we'd done enough to take something from the game and then Shepshed popped up with a late goal and I thought that was it but the lads have shown tremendous character."
