Added Dec 26th 2007 -

Rothwell Town 2 - 4 Stourport Swifts

If there is an official condition for teams who suffer a phobia of second halves, then Rothwell Town are currently experiencing a bad case of it.

Once again the Bones found a way to lose a BGB Southern League Division One Midlands gane they should have wrapped up before half-time.

For the opening half-anhour Christmas had come early for the Bones as they scored two in a league game for the first time since September. Jon Stead cleverly lobbed them ahead in only the second minute and Scott Cross then headed his first for the club after a fine move on 23 minutes.

Stourport, up until then, had merely contributed two glaring misses from Craig Marshall and Craig Webb and a Nathan Jukes free-kick well saved by Bones keeper Tom Smith. But the tide began to turn on 37 minutes when defender Ben Greasley was harshly penalised for handball in the box and Jukes smashed home the penalty.

Swifts keeper Chris Jay then produced a brilliant save to deny Michael Tolton five minutes before half-time. Had Rothwell scored then the game would have been over. As it was, Stourport breathed again and grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Marshall should have equalised on 47 minutes but somehow shot wide from less than six yards. Then on the hour Rothwell's defence fell apart twice in as many minutes - resulting in goals from Adam Blake and then Duncan Willetts to give Swifts the lead.

Bones boss Ian Jackson tried to change things. But with only two substitutes available his options were limited.

Stourport, by contrast, had a full bench at their disposal and it was two of those replacements - Ryan Broadhurst and Alex Lavery - who sealed the win on 85 minutes as Rothwell shot themselves in the foot.

Adam Bridgeford's attempted back-pass went straight to Broadhurst who simply pulled the ball back for Lavery to pick his spot.

Rothwell are back in league action on Boxing Day at home to Chesham United (kick-off 1pm).

They are likely to have Liam Boath back in theie squad. However, both Paul Rice and Pete Sneddon are still injured.

Rothwell: Smith, Bridgeford, Tolton, Greasley, Kattus, Flannigan, Stead, Boyle-Chong, Cross (sub Ulkan, 75 mins), Koriya (sub McInally, 60 mins), Purton.

Stouport: Jay, Smith, Robinson, Jukes, Frost, Blake, Caldwell, Webb (sub Wood, 87 mins), Marshall (sub Broadhurst, 73 mins), Willetts (sub Lavery, 79 mins), Tomkins. Subs not used: McCormisky, Andrews.

Referee: Mr M Perry

Goals: Stead (2 mins, 1-0), Cross (23 mins, 2-0), Jukes (37 mins pen, 1-2), Blake (58 mins, 2-2), Willetts (60 mins, 2-3), Lavery (85 mins, 2-4).

Chairman's man of the match: Scott Cross (lead the line well)

Match rating: 7