Saturday, 7 September, 2002

France hold England

Melchester Rovers' Rocky Race illuminated an experimental friendly encounter

as England were held to a draw by France at Kingsbay Stadium.

Race was handed his first England cap by coach Rudi Marik - and responded in style with
a vibrant display. He struck with a spectacular header to give England a first-half lead,
but France improved after the break and deservedly equalised through Walter Fielles.

Marik will have been pleased with England's first 45 minutes, but once again his side
delivered a second-half performance lacking in threat.

England failed to score a goal in the second period during the World Cup, and rarely
looked like hitting the target a second time as the game progressed. And Marik will once
again be left open to charges of reducing friendly fixtures to the status of meaningless
training exercises with a procession of substitutes after half time.

Melboro's Peter Beck was given his first cap under Marik after a lengthy England exile -
and he made a lively start to restart his international career. But he was over-shadowed
by his former Boro’ team-mate Race, who posed a constant threat to the France defence.

England were occasionally caught out by the slick passing of the French, with Real
Varagosa superstar Sofiane Zayef prominent. But Marik will have been satisfied with
England's first half-work - capped by a brilliant goal from Race after 39 minutes.

It was an England goal fashioned in Melchester, with Ritchie Lawrence's inviting cross
providing the perfect opportunity for Race to score with a spectacular diving header.

England's momentum was inevitably disturbed by Marik's now traditional rash of half-
time substitutions, with Castlemere debutant Ben Argent one of four changes. And as
England regrouped, France almost took advantage when Fodette hit the woodwork twice
in the space of seconds in the 47th minute. He directed a header on to the top of the
crossbar with goalkeeper Bryan Bailey helpless, then hit the outside of the post.

France, who made nine half-time changes of their own, settled quicker and were
applying pressure to England.

Marik decided to re-shuffle England's pack again on the hour, with Beck one of three
departures after a satisfactory reintroduction to international football. And it was a link
between two of the replacements, Argent and Billy Giles, that almost brought a second
goal after 63 minutes, only for Race to shoot wide off balance.

England had looked unusually vulnerable from set pieces, and it was no surprise when
France equalised from a corner with 12 minutes remaining. Defender Fielles was the
scorer, powering a header past David Gates on the line.

England: Bailey, Grunt, Jepson, Nash, Lawrence, Beck, Grantham, Driscoll, Ryan,
Foster, Race.
Substitutes: Marshall, Talbot, Gates, Argent, Giles, Bracken, Croker, Blaney.

France: Boule, Vuelton, Philippe, Debille, Michel, Coquille, Kulala, Zayef, Sissoko,
Fodette, Latorsion.
Substitutes: Bourgoin, Angiers, Fielles, Bonnett, Flechir, Bougier, Parcours, Grand,
Ducos, Marchet, Thierry.

Referee: T Oslo (Norway)

Wednesday, 11 September, 2002

Melchester Rovers see off Tynecaster

An early goal from Per Enqvist and a late strike from Rocky Race ensured
Rovers registered a rare win at Tynecaster.

Melchester, coming into the game on the back of two straight defeats, played with a real
sense of purpose. And Ron Meevy’s team defended stoutly as an increasingly desperate
Tynecaster went in search of an equaliser before Race's late goal sealed the points.

Goalkeeper Paul Marshall was particularly magnificent for the visitors, underlining his
England credentials with a string of brilliant saves.

But Race - who was superb for England against France last weekend - was also excellent
on the left side the Rovers attack and deserved his goal.
It was a frustrating night for Ted Anderson's team, who wasted numerous chances to
restore parity. As the game entered its final stages Anderson could be seen on the
touchlines imploring his team to push forward, but it was all in vain.

Enqvist celebrated his 100th appearance for Rovers with a goal after only five minutes.
The visitors struck on the counter attack, Anton Gronvold converting defence into attack
with a raking pass through midfield that sent Race free down the left. The new England
cap charged goalwards before knocking the ball across the face of Tynecaster's goal for
the Dane to stab home ahead of Brian Andrews.

Throughout the opening half Rovers passed the ball crisply and played with a steely
determination. Race fired over and David Gates - continuing an attack he started with a
tackle on the edge of his own area - headed narrowly wide.

In contrast, Tynecaster lacked any semblance of fluency but - far superior in attack than
defence - created a bagful of chances late in the first half. Robbie Thorn had a shot
blocked and another saved by Marshall. And the Rovers keeper also denied Claudia,
Oliver Jones and Stevie Aliou - the last of which was a brilliant last-gasp stop with half-
time looming. Claudia shrugged off Gates after 55 minutes but - after closing in on goal -
was again denied by Marshall. A minute later Thorn knocked a brilliant cross to the far
post but Aliou headed over from close range.

Tynecaster - following the introduction of substitutes Victor Hernandez and Chris Briers -
were pushing hard for an equaliser but Rovers almost scored on the break. However,
Michel De Blanke made two excellent stops to deny Race and then Louis Fodette.

The attacking momentum in the second half was firmly with Tynecaster - and both
Claudia and Briers missed the target with good opportunities before Marshall saved from
Ernesto Luna. But United could find no way past Marshall and Race's late strike
guaranteed Rovers their first Premiership win on Tyneside since January 1993.

Tynecaster United: De Blanke, Jones, Andrews (Rook 83), Ferdinand, Wright, Luna,
Fisher, Sharp (Victor 67), Thorn, Claudia, Aliou (Briers 67).
Subs Not Used: Heaney, Luther.
Booked: Sharp, Rook, Ferdinand.

Melchester Rovers: Marshall, Marcello, Daley, Gates, Lawrence, Evans, Enqvist,

Gronvold, McKaffree, Fodette (Bishop 85), Race.
Subs Not Used: Cooper, Wootten, Jones, Templeton.
Booked: Marcello, Race.

Attendance: 51,730.

Referee: D Feeney (Oxfordshire).

Saturday, 14 September, 2002

Rovers punish Melboro’

Jamie Nash endured a tortuous return to Mel Park as his former club Melchester
Rovers took their revenge on Melboro’.

Outplayed in the first half, Rovers hit back after the interval and Rocky Race's headed
winner proved the difference.

Nash, whose £25m move across the River Mel incurred the wrath of Rovers fans, was
booed every time he touched the ball. Yet when his new team needed him most, Nash
was nowhere to be seen as Race darted into the visitors' area to score.

Rovers again owed a huge debt for their victory, to in-form goalkeeper Paul Marshall,
who pulled off a series of superb saves. And to nineteen year old youth product, Steve
Daley, whom Rovers chairmen the Vinter Brothers claimed would prove an upgrade on
Nash, was outstanding as he repelled Boro's attack time after time.

With so much of the pre-match hype focused on Nash's return to the club, it would have
been easy to overlook the fact that a football match had to be played. But that was
never going to be the case given the fierce rivalry between the two sides and, in line
with previous encounters, the game started at a frenetic pace.

Rovers, how had made a single change from their impressive victory at Tynecaster,
surged forward with gusto, putting Nash under close scrutiny, if any more was really
needed.

Despite the unfamiliar midfield, Gary Driscol drafted into middle in the absence of the
injured Julio Verona and John Ellson recalled to the side, Melboro’ settled well. Indeed,
the visitors went on to boss the half, their football free-flowing and incisive yet lacking
the clinical finish it deserved.

Peter Beck drifted menacingly and, following a beautiful stepover from Jamie Nash's
pass, played a clever one-two with Franz Raus which released the German winger into
the area. Raus took one touch too many and was foiled by Rovers goalkeeper Marshall.
Midway through the first half, two incidents could have had a significant bearing on
proceedings. Foster appeared to deliberately elbow Rocky Race, the pretender to his
England number 9 shirt, and was lucky to be on the pitch let alone escape without even
a caution.

But Lady Luck looked kindly on Daley minutes later, when he blatantly tugged back
Foster when the former Rovers striker was shaping up to shoot in the Rovers' area.

Rovers defended stoutly and they had to given the unrelenting red tidal wave they faced.
Two goalline clearances from Ritchie Lawrence and Daley maintained parity.

The introduction of Per Enqvist, for the ineffective Anton Gronvold, after the interval
gave Rovers some much-needed impetus. The withdrawal of Raus for Boro also helped
their cause.

Marshall again proved Foster's nemesis, making another breathtaking save to keep the
scores level. His stop swung the momentum in Rovers' favour and they capitalised fully.
A quick passage of play saw the ball played out to Lawrence, who whipped in the perfect
cross for an unmarked Race to head past Nicholls. Not a Melboro’ defender, not even
Nash, in sight.

Melchester Rovers: Marshall, Marcello, Daley, Gates (Wootten 45), Lawrence, Gronvold
(Enqvist 45), Evans, McKaffree, Templeton, Fodette (Jones 72), Race.
Subs Not Used: Cooper, Durham.
Booked: McKaffree, Lawrence.

Melboro’: Nicholls, Ellson (Cassidy 59), Nash, Baxter (Overton 45), Rogers, Raus
(Hemmings 63), Driscol, Beck, Thomas, Mitrovic, Foster.
Subs Not Used: Potter, Malcolm. 
Booked: Driscol.

Attendance: 25,622

Referee: John Summers (Cleveland)

 
Thursday, 19th September 2002

Bishop rescues Rovers

Robbie Bishop came off the Melchester Rovers bench to end his barren run by
netting the winner against Torpedo Solenko in the first round, first leg of the
UEFA Cup.

Bishop, 22, has been goalless since January but came on in the second half to help end
the stubborn resistance of Russians Torpedo Solenko. The Rovers striker chased a long
ball forward and wrestled possession before cutting back to fire in from close range.

The goal came after 80 minutes against a side who Rovers were expected to easily beat.
But it proved not to be the case as Solenko played with a defensive formation and just
one striker.

The closest Rovers came to scoring in the opening 20 minutes was a Rocky Race 35-yard
shot that curled narrowly high and a David Gates header that looped onto the roof of the
net.

Per Enqvist should have given the home crowd the goal they were trying to urge their
team towards when he found himself unmarked from an Paul Evans free-kick, but the
Dane headed wide.

Lively Solenko midfielder Franco Valbuena's long range shot was comfortably saved by
keeper Paul Marshall as the visitors adopted a shoot-on-sight policy.

Solenko seemed to gain in confidence the longer the game stayed goalless while an
incoherent Rovers side's best chances were coming from corners in the first half.

Steve Wootten headed wide just after Race had poked a shot straight at Solenko's
grateful keeper Aleksei Gusakov.

Keith Durham’s yellow card for a scything foul on Valbuena highlighted Rovers'
frustration as they went into the interval goalless against their less-than-illustrious
opponents.

Rovers stepped up the pace after the break and it looked like Race's header had given
them the lead. But Solenko keeper Gusakov pulled off an excellent save to deny the
England striker before immediately stopping another header from Gates.
Rovers boss Ron Meevy brought on striker Bishop after 65 minutes to groans from the
Mel Park crowd.

The home side continued to attack against the heavy numbers of Solenko's black shirts
and Declan McKaffree had a header saved while Race shot high.

Race did his best to force the issue for Rovers with his aggressive style of play and his
determination finally paid off 10 minutes from time. Race was the provider and Bishop
gratefully accepted his pass to slot in from close range.

Rovers created chances late on but could not find a late second goal and now face a
tricky return leg.

Melchester Rovers: Marshall, Wootten, Jones, Gates, Lawrence, Enqvist, Durham

(Bishop 65), Evans, McKaffree, Templeton, Race.
Subs not used: Cooper, Daley, Marcello, Fodette, Gronvold, Svensson, Young.

Torpedo Solenko: Gusakov, Vyun, Rozin, Kolchin, Vintov, Dorokhin, Valbuena,

Milosevic, Sanko, Akulov (Hansen 88), Moskvin (Ramirez 76).
Subs not used: Zorin, Zakharchenko, Bredun, Lantratov, Sarayev.

Referee: J Vainola (Finland)

Sunday, 22nd September 2002

Redstoke stun Rovers

Redstoke notched their first home win of the season thanks to a goal from
midfielder Graeme Ferguson against Melchester Rovers at Mill Road.

Ferguson struck after 24 minutes when he converted a Kenny Williams cross for his first
goal since last October.

An off-form Rovers should have levelled through an Rocky Race penalty in the second-
half but the England forward saw Ryan Scarlett save his 12-yard shot.
Italian forward Enrico Graziano was even struggling with a calf injury and was on the
bench with Rob Evans operating as a lone striker. But Redstoke made light of their injury
troubles in the first half when they were the better side.

Right-winger Kenny Williams was particularly effective for the Mill Road outfit along with
influential midfielder Tommy Davies.

Davies was narrowly wide with a free-kick before Graeme Ferguson gave the home side
the lead.

Williams was the provider after he beat Rovers left-back Ritchie Lawrence and then
crossed from the by-line for Ferguson to shoot home from 9 yards.

Rovers were struggling to find any rhythm and needed keeper Paul Marshall to pull off an
excellent save from a Davies strike to stop them going further behind.

At the other end, Redstoke stopper Scarlett was forced into an equally important save
early in the second half to deny Paul Evans. But Redstoke were always a threat and,
after Davies had a goal disallowed, he struck the Rovers woodwork with a free-kick. The
Redstoke midfielder was peppering the Rovers goal and brought another fine save from
Marshall with a 30-yard shot.

A triple Rovers substitution gave them the upper hand as they searched for an equaliser
and they should have levelled after 66 minutes.

Redstoke defender Ben Henning was penalised for a hand-ball but Race could not
convert the resultant spot-kick, which Scarlett saved.

Rovers had Redstoke on the back-foot from there on and Race saw Scarlett again deny
him a goal from a header.

An equaliser proved elusive for the visitors against a determined Redstoke as Rovers
went down to their third league defeat of the season.

Redstoke: Scarlett, Lucas, Henning, Stuart, Long, Davies, Ferguson, Abbey, Owen
(Scott 90), Williams, Evans (Graziano 68).
Subs Not Used: O’Neill, Ericsson, Smith.
Booked: Neill.

Melchester Rovers: Marshall, Marcello, Wootten, Gates, Lawrence (Jones 63), Enqvist,
Durham (Gronvold 63), Evans, Bishop, Fodette (McKaffree 63), Race.
Subs Not Used: Cooper, Daley.
Booked: Race, Evans.

Attendance: 25,415.

Referee: G Black (Merseyside).

Saturday, 28th September 2002 

Carford blow away Rovers

Carford City continued their current blistering form at Mel Park - and in doing
so rewrote the record books.

Two strikes from Craig Lassiter, as well as goals from Joseph Kwono and Clyde
Hammersmith, ensured City have now scored in 47 consecutive games, breaking
Barford's 71-year-old record.

In beating Rovers, Jules Laverne's side have also broken Everpool’s top-flight record of
22 away League games without defeat and equalled Weston Villa's Premiership total of
29 matches unbeaten.

Victory was no less than the visitors deserved after yet another scintillating performance,
stifling Rovers while attacking with awesome pace.

Suggestions that the Carford players would be tired after their midweek Champions
League exertions proved - for Rovers at least - to be horrendously wrong.

And with the likes of Billy Giles and Matthew Croker yet to return from injury, there is no
sign of them losing their current momentum.

Rovers never recovered after conceding an early goal - and Louis Fodette's late strike
was nothing more than a consolation.

Lassiter scored for Carford with the first meaningful attack of the match. Steve Wootten
- recalled to the team at left back in place of Ritchie Lawrence - was caught in
possession by Glen Crawford deep in his own half. Crawford passed to Kwono, who burst
in to the Rovers area before squaring the ball for a completely unmarked Lassiter to pick
his spot from six yards.

Hammersmith almost doubled the City lead after latching on to Kwono's superb diagonal
through ball but was denied by a fine Paul Marshall save.

More poor defending quickly led to a Carford second. Dino Marcello directed a clearance
straight at Barry Pritchett, who reached the bye-line before dinking a precise cross for
Kwono to head home.
Kwono nearly made it three after 23 minutes but his glancing header from an
Hammersmith corner was headed off the line by Wootten, partially atoning for his
previous error.

Rovers, in contrast, had virtually nothing to show for their first-half endeavour except for
a shot from Race that Frank Lawler saved with his legs five minutes before the break.
And any hope of a Rovers revival was snuffed out within two minutes of the restart.
Hammersmith latched on to Lassiter's slide-rule pass and skipped past David Gates
before slipping the ball home from a tight angle.

Paul Evans went close for Rovers with a free-kick shortly afterwards but Carford
continued to dominate with their flowing football.

Rovers refused to surrender, though, and looked the likeliest to add to the scoring.

Rocky Race - fiery throughout despite being booked after six minutes - superbly met
Evans’ free-kick but his header crashed against the crossbar.

With six minutes of normal time left, the home side finally got their consolation. Lawler
twice parried from McKaffree but the ball broke to the disappointing Louis Fodette, who
fired home.

Carford immediately restored their-three-goal advantage when Lassiter scored his

second of the game.

Melchester Rovers: Marshall, Marcello, Daley (Jones 90), Gates, Wootten, Evans,
Enqvist, Durham (Gronvold 45), McKaffree, Templeton, Race.
Subs not used: Cooper, Lawrence, Fodette.
Booked: Race, Enqvist, Evans, Marcello.

Carford City: Lawler, Simpson, Chambers, Stewart, Crawford, Kwono (Archer 72),
Lawson, Giles, Pritchett (Thomas 79), Hammersmith, Lassiter (Slade 88).
Subs not used: Forbes, Rogan
Booked: Chambers, Kwono.

Attendance: 25,199.

Referee: A Whittle (Staffordshire).

Summary

Tynecaster United 0 - 2 Melchester Rovers

Enqvist 5’
Race 67’

Melchester Rovers 1 - 0 Melborough

Race 67’

Melchester Rovers 1 - 0 Torpedo Solenko

Bishop 79’

Redstoke 1 – 0 Melchester Rovers

Ferguson 24’

Melchester Rovers 1 - 4 Carford City

Fodette 84’ Lassiter 9’, 86’
Kwono 20’
Hammersmith 47’

NEXT MONTH – A tough October waits for Ron Meevy’s Rovers!