Rossington Main 3-2 Teversal

Rossington Main 3-2 Teversal

NCEL League Cup (First Round)

Tuesday 10th August 2021

Rossington Main eventually progressed to the second round of the NCEL League Cup but needed extra-time to see off plucky Teversal at Oxford Street.

Things were going well for Rozzo as both Josh Yeoman and Jack Watson found the target during a bright start, but any thoughts that Ben Hunter's team might rock up a cricket score were short-lived as the visitors struck twice in quick succession to level things up by the quarter-hour mark.

And that's how it stayed until extra-time when Niall Doran popped up with a close-range finish from a well-worked free-kick to ensure the 3-2 scoreline in favour of Rozzo.

A combination of injuries and illnesses meant it was something of a patched up starting xi for the hosts with Conner Williamson, Cameron Barnett, Jamie Green and Greg Young amongst the notable absentees. It meant that the manager himself opted to start in an effort to add some much-needed experience.

Initially, Rozzo looked as if they would simply brush aside Teversal because they started with a real drive and determination and had already flashed a couple of balls across the area before Watson set-up Yeoman for a simple tap-in on nine minutes.

Jason Stokes then saw a curling top corner attempt tipped wide by Tevie's young 'keeper but from the resulting corner it was 2-0 - home debutant Ryan Wharton seeing his firm header from the back-post delivery saved by the 'keeper's legs before he knocked the rebound into Watson's path for a simple close-range poacher's goal.

The game was soon turned on its head, however, because Rossington endured a similar defensive collapse to what cost them badly during Saturday's 4-2 defeat at Selby Town.

Teversal pulled a goal back when a looping shot from about 25-30 yards had Kian Johnson back-peddling and beaten, before the ball ricocheted off the upright into the path of the oncoming Cameron Pinnick who was able to use his head and guide it into the net. This started from losing the ball cheaply and much too easily high up the pitch then not doing enough to win it back.

A minute later it was then 2-2. Rozzo's defence resembled a mixture of statues and mannequins as a short corner was taken down the line and subsequently delivered in towards the back-post where Connor Bower's unchallenged glancing connection resulted in a goal.

Harsh words were said but they were completely needed. The defending wasn't good enough. It was another capitulation and those in blue shirts looked completely shell-shocked.

Rossington's performance for the remainder of the half was disjointed and disappointing to say the least. Gaps were evident all over the place whilst there were a few examples of slack, sloppy and careless retention of the ball which made it difficult to build up a head of team.

Yeoman fired straight at the 'keeper after being put through by Hunter in one attack, a speculative Stokes effort lacked accuracy and towards the end of the half, the gaffer tried his luck with a curling attempt which also didn't trouble the visiting shot-stopper.

If anything, Teversal had the best opportunity when they capitalised on a mistake at the back which almost left Johnson red-faced but a 'free hit' towards an open goal from 20 yards incredibly went wide.

Plenty of strong words were no doubt muttered in the Rozzo dressing room at half-time. More than a few of the proverbial 'kick up the backsides' were needed and it resulted in a dominant albeit frustrating second half as the opposition were more than happy to just stick 10 men behind the ball.

Yeoman produced a flying save with a long-range shot only a minute or so after Louis Thwaites had hammered an attempt wide from distance whilst another of Hunter's curling shots from the edge of the box ended in the same conclusion as previously.

Still 2-2, it looked as if Tom Brear might get the breakthrough goal when he was put into a one-on-one on 55 minutes only for the 'keeper to come out on top. A deflected attempt by Stokes then resulted in a corner on the hour mark - from which Yeoman's powerful downward header from the edge of the six-yard box somehow bounced over the upright.

Inspiration was then looked for in the shape of Niall Doran and Tyla Bell as they entered the pitch for Watson and Yeoman - and the duo impacted the game though the scoreline still remained frustrating for quite a while after their introduction.

Hunter finally got one of his curling attempts on target on 71 minutes but it was met with an equally impressive flying save by Tevie's young 'keeper, whilst a couple of free-kicks by Doran both had unsuccessful outcomes - including one which was scandalously given outside the box when it should have actually been a penalty (the referee getting that decision wrong!).

Extra-time was looming as a strong possibility when Bell, who applied himself reasonably well, drew a comfortable save with something of a drag-shot and despite more peppering and territorial dominance by Rozzo, they just couldn't break dogged Teversal down and get a winner.

The visitors were even screaming a spot-kick themselves during a rare foray forward deep into injury-time though their handball appeals, particularly from the bench, fell on deaf ears. Two minutes into extra-time they went closer though when a strike from distance cannoned back off the upright.

Tevie's openings proved Rozzo still needed to be careful that they didn't fall behind but it wasn't long before they regained the momentum and started applying pressure.

Again, Bell fired straight at the 'keeper despite being in a good position on 93 minutes whilst a 40-yard strike from Thwaites soon afterwards was presumably hit more in hope than expectation given that it was comfortably saved.

Paul Sherburn, who had also been introduced from the bench for Bobby Kianga early in the second half, nearly provided the cherished 'breakthrough' moment only to be brought down on the edge of the box. It resulted in a free-kick and despite Stokes getting his attempt on target, the ball was unorthodoxly fumbled over the upright by the 'keeper. 

Bell was then denied in a one-on-one before the half-time whistle in extra-time as Rossington remained dominant and frustrated, with Teversal on the other hand looking knackered but dogged and determined to see their plan through.

However, the second period of extra-time finally resulted in a Rozzo goal and it came from yet another set-piece scenario on 109 minutes.

Every free-kick up to this point (and there had been about half a dozen) had resulted in a direct attempt on goal. It was crying out for something different to be tried and that's what happened with Stokes slipping a clever pass through to Sherburn who then played it invitingly across the face of goal where Doran was able to place it past the 'keeper from a couple of yards.

His emphatic celebration was filled with joy just as much as it was relief and now the team's job was to make sure there'd be no defensive capitulation.

Teversal's hopes of a comeback immediately suffered a big blow when their substitute received a second yellow card for attempting to grab Stokes in the 'delicate region' right infront of the referee. It wasn't a hard decision for the official to make because it was petulant stupidity from someone who should have known better and was brought on to do a job - but not that one!

The final 10 minutes of extra-time saw Bell go close on a handful of occasions - the first being when he was put clean through, forced wide, and unleashed a shot which crashed against the upright. His performance merited a goal and when he was put through again only a few moments later, his attempt to lift the ball over an advancing 'keeper was correct yet it just didn't have enough flight to it and the custodian made another save.

Brear was also denied and Doran placed a free-kick high and wide, but neither mattered in the end as Doran's goal in extra-time ultimately proved to be successful.

Overall, it was dominant yet not convincing from Rossington but they're into the next round - and that's the outcome everyone wanted beforehand. Phew!