Not a pretty sight as Reserves settle for draw

A GOALLESS draw was probably the maximum that could have been expected from a Rovers Pontin's League squad which comprised 14 teenagers, 20-year-old Lee Fitzpatrick and keeper Tim Flowers.

A few members of the squad have already been notified of their release at the end of the season but they deserved their point last night. It was not pretty to watch, however, with precious little good football being played in an awful game on a windswept night.

Rovers, in fact, had the better of the few chances which were created by two sides who failed to produce any genuine quality where it counted in a competitive affair.

Paul Connor missed a chance for Stoke while Peter Murphy's drive was deflected wide. Midway through the half, 17-year-old Ben Burgess headed Darren Dunning's cross past a post when he might have done better but probably did not see the ball until late.

The second half did not really improve in an attacking sense, though Burgess scraped the crossbar with a powerful header from Fitzpatrick's cross before being replaced by 16-year-old Marc Richards, who created a rare opening which Jon Topley sliced way off target.

It was Rovers' last home game of the season and far from memorable.

But Flowers never looked like being beaten and Keith Brown handled Kyle Lightbourne with some assurance on most occasions.

ROVERS: Flowers, Richardson, Whittle, Brown, Murphy, Fitzpatrick, Douglas, Scates (sub Hawe 60 mins), D Dunning (sub Ryan 65 mins), Burgess (sub M Richards 60 mins), Topley. Subs not used: Foster, Stewart (gk).

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