Pre-Season Friendly
Rene Road, Bolehall, Tamworth
Thursday, 2nd August 2007, 7.30pm
Plane stops play - nearly!
A four-foot model bi-plane crash-landed in the middle of the pitch just a couple of yards in front of a Gresley player.
The pre-season friendly at Bolehall Swifts had stopped to allow treatment to an injured player just before the incident happened halfway through the first half.
Three youths then sheepishly came into the ground to claim their renegade flying machine, which had been removed by Swifts manager.
That was possibly the highlight of what turned out to be an unfortunate game with two Rovers' players having to hobble off with hamstring injuries.
The first to suffer was Morgan Hurley who had to leave the field after just eight minutes followed by Tom Betteridge twelve minutes later. Betteridge will possibly be out of action for a couple of weeks.
On a very uneven pitch chances were rare for either side. However, Swifts were given a golden chance when one of their players was tripped just inside the area.
Unfortunately, Swifts number 3 smacked his shot against the crossbar and over for a goal kick.
On 14 minutes Rovers had their first half chance but Karl Wayte fired wide. Andy Simpson then went close on the half hour but put his header wide.
Right on halftime Swifts number 3 had another chance but this time put his shot well over the bar and over the stand behind the goal.
The second half didn't produce too many chances. The first fell to Rovers but a shot was blocked on the line by at least four bodies.
Rovers' keeper Tom Allan then had a rare save to make on 58 minutes when a Swift player managed to get through on goal but Allan made a good save from a shot hit from 10 yards.
On 79 minutes a Shaun Ridgway free kick from the right found Simpson but his header flew wide of the mark.
A minute later a corner taken by Tom Groves was returned to him and his cross found Ravi Sangha who fired his shot straight at the keeper.
Groves then went close on 88 minutes when he burst through the defence and hit a shot that took a deflection and whistled past the far post.
On 90 minutes, and just as the game looked to be ending in a draw, Rovers were awarded a corner. Ridgway took the kick from the right and Karl Payne was on hand to power home his header.
