The Teams Line Up Before the Game

Unlike in the previous two friendlies, where Little had mixed youth and experience into the two teams, he opted last night for an experienced first half team followed by a second half team made up of almost all youngsters – and goalkeeper Steve Wilson.

Rovers’ two early chances fell to Eugene Dadi, the first after just two minutes but it was from the strikers’ second chance on 12 minutes that Rovers should have taken the lead.  Dadi found himself in space in the penalty area with the ball at his feet and hooked the goalwards but also agonisingly wide of the left hand post with the keeper beaten.

Just after the quarter hour mark though, Rovers did take a deserved lead through the unlikely source of Ian Goodison who after something of a scramble and some confusion in the Nomads area, poked the ball in to give Rovers the lead.

Goodison only lasted a further twenty minutes before being replaced by Carl Tremarco and it appeared that Ian was carrying a slight injury.  Gareth Roberts and Calvin Zola both had shots saved in the first half but Rovers could not add a second, instead going in at half-time leading 1-0.

In the second half, Rovers’ youngsters took over and matched the first half team for effort and performance.  Chris Dagnall had the first chance of the second half and looked good in partnership with Steve Davies upfront.

Paul Brown beat Nomads keeper Paul Smith but the ball struck the post and bounced back into the arms of the grateful goalkeeper.  On 78 minutes though it was Paul Brown who completed the scoring after good work down the left by Carl Tremarco and a superb lay-off by Chris Dagnall, that allowed Brown to fire the ball home for 2-0 which is how the game ended.

The Teams