Season 2008-09

Despite being one of the most competitive and exciting games this season, neither team looked like breaking the deadlock as defences tended to hold the upper hand and both keepers were in top form.

In the opening minutes, an Ash Morris cross shot was cleared off the line and a goal mouth scramble ended with the final shot being blocked, but later a touch would have given Rothley the lead. Both teams then had the ball in the net, but were disallowed, Rothley’s for offside and the Nomads for a push.

For the first 20 minutes of the second half, it was the same end to end play, and not even the Nomads leading strikers managed to break the deadlock when they were introduced at half time. Sean Bowles was in action first, denying Rothley with a good save, but not to be outdone the Rothley keeper replied following a period of Nomads pressure and with only 14 minutes left on the clock, saved a Scott James header.

But on 82 minutes, Matt Boyles was clattered when making a surging run into the penalty box and the Nomads were awarded a penalty. Nicki Finney went for power; the ball crashed against the underside of the bar, hit the keeper on his back and spun onto the top of the net. I apologise for the awful photo but did the ball cross the goal line at any stage. A corner was awarded and a draw seemed odds on.

But, Jake Duffy’s far post corner found Scott James who rose like a salmon and buried his bullet header into the back of the net. Stu Dealey however thought he rose like a rainbow trout.

Rothley did not give up, and in the dying seconds it was left to Sean Bowles to make another good save to make sure the three points were going Nomads way.

Robert Morrell