Rocester 3 Chasetown 1

Tuesday 8th November 2011
Rocester 3 Chasetown 1
Staffordshire Senior Cup Second Round
At: Hillsfield
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Admission: £5; Programme: £1 (24 pages)
Weather: mild, damp, occasional drizzle
Attendance: 110
Duration: first-half: 45:40; second-half: 48:16


Just like Saturday, I let someone else play a part in choosing tonight’s match and the outcome of the toss of a coin sent me heading north up the A518 for something of a first at Rocester – instead of down the A449 to the postponed match at Wolverhampton Sporting Community!

Rocester, who gave plenty to be encouraged about when I saw them in pre-season, continued their excellent season with a thoroughly deserved victory over 10-man Chasetown who had keeper Ryan Price harshly sent-off for a professional foul around the midpoint of the second half. Mensah Kinch, Chris Sterling and Paul McMahon all found the net for the Romans before Linden Dovey bagged a consolation goal for the visitors.

My 'first' at Rocester was watching a game at Hillsfields played entirely under floodlights. Normally my trips to the ground (eight out of the previous nine) have been for pre-season games in July or August. My only previous competitive game, a Bank Holiday fixture against Blakenall in 1989, took place before lights were installed.

Rocester (amber and black stripes / black / black): 1. Richard Froggatt, 2. Ashley Justin, 3. Rob Perks, 4. Dan McLeod, 5. Chris McComisky, 6. Darren Bullock, 7. Mensah Kinch, 8. Jack Langston, 9. Chris Sterling, 10. Paul McMahon (capt), 11. Chris Owen. Subs: 12. Chris Milner (for Dan McLeod, 72), 14. John Littler (not used), 15. Pete Martin (for Kinch, 79), 16. Ryan Knight (McMahon 84), 17. Karl McLeod (not used).

Chasetown (blue/blue/white): 1. Ryan Price, 2. Jack Farmer, 3. Chris Peel, 4. Chris Slater (capt), 5. Jimmy Turner, 6. Matty Cohen, 7. Danny Smith, 8. Darren Stride, 9. Linden Dovey, 10. Dean Perrow, 11. Levi Reid. Subs: 12. Gary Birch (not used), 14. Mark Hands (for Smith, 52), 15. Theo Robinson (not used), 16. Andrew Westwood (for Reid, 79), 17. Lee Wright (for Farmer, 62).

Referee: L. Sinclair.
Assistants: D. Ferneyhough and M. Murfitt.

Goals:
1-0 Mensah Kinch (32)
2-0 Chris Sterling (46)
3-0 McMahon (72 pen)
3-1 Linden Dovey (75)