ROVERS AGAIN FINALISTS
The wonderful run of success that began at Worcester over two years ago was continued by Bromsgrove Rovers on Saturday, when they beat Halesowen Town in the semi-final of the Birmingham Senior Cup and so created another club record. They are for the first time in a County Cup final for two successive years, and there is every hope that where they failed so narrowly last season they can suceed this time. Incidentally, the only other Combination club to reach the Birmingham Cup final in successive years is Redditch, who accomplished the feat in 1932 and 1933. Rovers' final opponents will be Atherstone Town, who have never beaten them in a cup tie, and who had a desperate struggle to beat lowly Dudley in the other semi-final on Saturday. Rovers and Atherstone have each defeated the other in the Combination fixtures this season, and the third meeting, something of a decider, is anticipated with confidence by Bromsgrove. The Rovers' team has acquired a reputation in cup warfare - and is firmly established on a winning vein for any class of football. Since their post-war recovery began at Worcester on that historic November afternoon of 1945 they have been victorious in 62 or their 97 games and have only lost 22. It is a wonderful record of consistency, and the stiffer the opposition the better the Rovers have played. Not all their football is good, but it is undeniable that they play a winning game, and we are all expecting them to lift the Birmingham Senior Cup this time, and also retain the Worcestershire trophy. They still have to win at Cradley and Stourbridge to reach the Worcestershire final, but who doubts their ability to do this and beat Hereford or Dudley in the final. If they bring off these four cup victories they will be the first club to hold both trophies in the same season. The Combination Shield seems likely to leave Bromsgrove this spring, but it is by no means certain that that will happen.
The meeting of the Rovers and Halesowen, the third this season, drew another big gate, the best since basic petrol affected attendances. Official figures are that 3078 paid for admission. it was a hard-fought game they saw, of typical cup-tie order. Halesowen supplied most of the thrills in the first half, but these only carried them a limited distance. The Birmingham League champions looked menacing 40 yards from goal, but never so within shooting range, and Skitt had few troublesome moments. Rovers' backs and halves were rock-like under the fast pace set by the visitors, and the first shot of the game that was on target came from Gallear. Halesowen had previously flung their darts for 15 minutes, and shots from Coley, Cook and Tether all went into the spectators. Usually slow starters, the Rovers at last shook off the raiders and Gallear drove in hard and low from 30 yards. E Jones made the first of several clean saves. Halesowen returned to the attack, but still found themselves held off from the vital last 20 yards and Rovers took the lead after 28 minutes. It was a clever move by Giles that did the trick. Taking a high pass on his chest, he tricked the left back and set off hot foot for the goal-line. The Halesowen defenders obviously anticipated a centre although Giles veered towards the posts in the last ten yards of his run, and Jones was still crouching in readiness for a low pass to Oldnall when the winger coolly changed feet and lifted the ball over the goalkeeper's head. Halesowen rushed back, but Williams thwarted them and a long punt by O'Mahoney gave Oldnall the sort of chance in which he revels. His header passed just wide with Jones well beaten. The goalkeeper's brother at centre-half for Halesowen saw to it that "Nodder" did not get many more chances, but that header deserved a goal. Right on the interval Halesowen got in their one dangerous shot. It came from Tether, a back who was deputising on the left wing because Hinett was getting married that day. Skitt dived across to put a hard drive round the post, and the interval whistle beat the corner kick.
Playing with the wind and rain behind them after the change of ends. Rovers came more into the picture. Early on O'Mahoney headed on to the bar after a left wing movement, and Oldnall got the ball through later only to be pulled up for an infringement. Cave, however made the game safe after 62 minutes with a low drive out of a melee. This was disheartening to the visitors, whose team had flattered only to deceive, and their hopes were almost crushed when Oldnall headed for the angle. E Jones however came "out of the blue" to catch the ball. Bromsgrove by now had fully got the measure of the Birmingham Leaguers, and a stiff drive from Giles was desperately headed away. In a burst Halesowen won a corner and forced the ball through during a hectic scramble that insued, but the referee penalised them. It was a close thing, but Skitt had to have attention before the free kick was taken. In the closing stages the teams were still maintaining a fast pace - the stamina displayed by both sides being a feature of the whole game. Oldnall missed a sitter from a pass by Hough, and following another corner to Halesowen Skitt saved brilliantly from a header by left back Gardiner.
Rovers' victory was fully deserved. their defence in the first half was solid, and although frequent miskicks by Edwards caused some anxiety, he did many good things to stone. Chapman made no mistakes and the craft of Meaney, Halesowen's live wire, came to nought when he had worked openings for his colleagues. Giles was again the Bromsgrove forward who most caught the eye. Oldnall had a lean time and Hough suffered because McKenna will not make a forward however often he plays in the front rank. If Bromsgrove had had a craftsman like Meaney the score would not have remained at only two goals.
Bromsgrove : Skitt; Edwards, Williams; O'Mahoney, Chapman, Gallear; Giles, Cave, Oldnall, McKenna, Hough.
Halesowen : E. Jones; Gennoe, Gardiner; Brazier, W. Jones, Vaughan; Coley, Meaney, Luke, Cook, Tether.
Referee : Mr. G. H. Robinson (Coventry) |