Saturday 16th August 2003 – Midland Football Alliance

Rocester 1 Cradley Town 0

Rocester’s return to the Midland Alliance after a four-season absence was marked by a stunning Richard Mitchell goal and the dismissal of goalkeeper Phil McGing just eight minutes into this opening league game.

The first chance of the game fell to new signing from Hednesford Town David Berks, who curled a shot from the edge of the Cradley area just wide of the top right hand corner after just four minutes.

Soon afterward Tobias Salmon broke clear of the Rocester defence only to be impeded outside the area by McGing as he tried to take the ball round the Rocester keeper. McGing was immediately shown the red card and was replaced in goal by central defender Mick Ede.

From the free kick, Stuart Butler’s effort rebound off the crossbar and back into play.

Ten-man Rocester were forced to substitute the injured Adam Colclough with Ben Skelton on the half hour but went close to taking the lead nine minutes later when Mitchell’s shot on the turn was just wide of the right hand post.

Two minutes later, Mitchell scored a goal that will rarely be bettered on any ground this season. Berks’s high cross from the left reached the far side of the penalty area and Mitchell met the ball with an angled volley that flew past Brian Robinson into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

The second half was only three minutes old when Lee Young burst through a gap in the Rocester defence but fired his shot inches wide of the left hand upright.

In the 55th minute Cradley’s Stuart Butler was shown the red card when he elbowed Craig Holland in the face as the two players tussled for the ball, and in the ensuing confrontation between players from both sides, Cradley’s captain Mark Hodges and keeper Robinson were also booked.

Both sides made substitutions as the heat began to take its toll on the players, and Cradley missed a good chance to draw level after 76 minutes when a poor clearance from Mick Ede fell to Seb Hamilton, but the substitute keeper then did well to smother Hamilton’s shot.

Two minutes later Paul McMahon had a chance to increase Rocester’s lead but his weak angled shot was hooked off the line by Giles Berry.

Rocester finished the stronger and their gutsy performance deserved their narrow win.

Rocester: McGing; Colclough (Skleton 30); Bostock; Heaney; M.Ede; Holland; A.Seward; D.Seward (Milward 73); Mitchell (Peake 86); McMahon; Berks. Subs not used: Ridley; Rawlinson.

Cradley: Robinson; Barry; Dudley; Marshall; Hodges (G.Jones 60); Butler; Harris; Hancox (How 86); Hamilton; Salmon (Ghazanfar 70); Young. Subs not used: Whitehouse; C.Jones.

Referee: Mr. A. Page (Ilkeston).

Attendance: 75.

Rocester Star Man – Craig Heaney – Commanding in defence.