Fairly good weather for football had drawn a crowd of 13100 to Axl Rose Stadium. Fans of both teams had been eagerly
awaiting this West Midlands derby and were doing their best to outshout their opponents. Rockers decided to use a 4-3-3
set up. Lineup: Santasus - Válido, Bois, Eijkenaar, Cheyne - Callow, Gruber, Ismail - Adolfsson, Meyers, Jenek.
Showell
tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. The following players took the field: Fenner - Rodway, Peiponen, Leigh
- Curry, Johnson, Jordan, Hughes, DiOrio - Valter, Jobs.
Using their counter-attacking abilities was the strategy of
choice for Rockers on this day. The wings were the focus of most of Showell's attacks on this day.
Matti Peiponen delivered a good free kick from an excellent position in the 2nd minute, but luck wasn't on Showell's side this time, the
ball went wide.
Sleiman Ismail suddenly found himself completely free on the right wing, when a counterattack by Rockers caught their opponents by surprise.
Only a great save by the enemy keeper prevented him from scoring.
Pascal Bois was first to reach a ball launched long through the center from Rockers's defence in the 12th minute. He managed to keep
his cool and beat the goalkeeper to make the score 1 - 0. In the 19th minute, the visitors tied it up at 1 - 1 after
a fantastic pass from the left was finished off by
Erik Johnson. Showell had to make a substitution in the 27th minute.
Ross Curry limped off the field and was replaced by
Rober Jacobi.
Peter Rodway received some harsh words from his coach after he acted foolishly, probably out of lack of experience, in the 36th minute
and almost let an opponent score.
Carles Santasus looked great in the 39th minute after stopping a shot by the visitors'
Kelvin DiOrio. It was 1 - 1 at the break. Showell dictated play, as they maintained 69 percent of possession.
Showell
had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially in the 54th minute when
Jeff Hughes came up alone against
Carles Santasus who managed a block. The referee showed Showell's
Kelvin DiOrio the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge.
Pascal Bois was the unlucky victim and couldn't continue the game, so Rockers's
Sami Selhami had to come off the bench. Showell had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially in the 71st minute when
Hudson Jordan came up alone against
Carles Santasus who managed a block.
Máté Valter seemed to be impossibly far from the goal as he accurately knocked one in for Showell. 1 - 2. After 83 minutes of game
time,
Peter Rodway had an excellent opportunity to add to the visitors' lead, clipping a volley hooked in from the right, but
Carles Santasus was in the right place and tipped the ball to a corner.
Hudson Jordan was, after 84 minutes, almost able to extend the visitors' lead with a well placed diving header, but home side's keeper
Carles Santasus made the save. The away team's
Máté Valter took advantage of a mistake on the home side's right in the 84th minute increasing Showell's lead to 1 - 3. Showell
held the ball, with a clear 71 percent of possession.
Rockers's best player was
Ted Eijkenaar.
Waldemar Jenek was a disappointment, however. Most important Showell player was
Jordy Fenner. However,
Rober Jacobi made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 1 - 3.
