Recharged Rovers

The words of Marseille coach Eric Gerets in reference to the relentless energy of opponents Liverpool, prior to their Champions League group stage meeting last week.

That is exactly how Rovers boss Rod Brown must have felt about his own players after watching them hustle visitors Sudbury into submission on Saturday.

And as a result, there were several hundred happy bunnies heading home from the Victoria Ground.

Fitness levels have been at the heart of Brown’s agenda since the beginning of his second spell in charge of the club.

“It is obvious the levels of fitness need to keep improving in order to get to the levels of tempo I’m looking for,” he said in his programme notes.

Well, who knows what ingredients were used for the pre-match cobs, because Brown’s men were simply buzzing from the first whistle.

While the away side’s supporters tried their best to intimidate, raising the roof with a siren and various forms of percussion, it was the Greens who banged the drum with goals from Luke Reynolds and Reece Styche.

They have quickly settled down into Brown’s trademark 3-5-2 system, and the midfield trio of Sam Alsop, Keenan Meakin-Richards and Chris Dickinson snapped at the heels of their opponents in a breathless first-half.

Alsop started dangerously, shooting wide on four minutes after Jermaine Clarke made a nuisance of himself to cause havoc in Sudbury’s defence.

And if ever there was a player reborn, it is Meakin-Richards.

So often lacking motivation, so often a passenger, he is beginning to look worthy of his place in the side.

He controlled the middle of the park, regularly switching the play from side to side with a faultless range of passing.

As for Dickinson - could he be the new ‘Snapper’?

Not since former fans’ favourite John Snape have Rovers been armoured with a real ‘snotter’, grinding down opponents and winning back possession.

Whenever Sudbury tried to string a move together, Dickinson was on the scene.

His persistence forced a chance out of nowhere for Reynolds, who fired over from six yards.

Speaking of favourites in the 2006-07 promotion winning mould, all the signs point to Reynolds being the Nathan Lamey-like 30-goal wonder, which could make the difference if Rovers find themselves in the end of season promotion shake-up.

The former Kidderminster Harriers man’s strike on 55 minutes was the least his side deserved for imposing their high-tempo game plan.

Again Dickinson was the provider, leaving Reynolds clean through before he showed his class by shaping himself for an emphatic finish which found the bottom corner.

Then came the big question which has left Brown erring firmly on the side of caution.

How long can the Greens sustain these levels of high energy and spirit?

They toiled for the final 20 minutes and can be thankful to goalkeeper James Dormand, who made a string of brilliant saves to deny Sudbury a route back into the match.

It seemed, however, the heroics of Dormand were enough to force Sudbury - unbeaten on their travels before Saturday - to throw in the towel.

Another new face, Styche, sealed the points 10 minutes from time after combining with fellow substitute Chris Duggan from close range, via a half-hearted, mis-hit clearance by Nathan Speed.

What a difference back-to-back wins make. Two games in and Brown has already recharged Bromsgrove Rovers’ batteries.

ROVERS: Dormand 8, Gill 7, Hamilton 7, DICKINSON 8, Pearce 7 (Brady 5, 71 mins), Meakin-Richards 7, Birley 6 (Duggan 5, 75 mins), Alsop 7, Clarke 6 (Styche 7, 70 mins), Reynolds 7, Banner 6. Unused subs: Cornes, McHale.

AFC SUDBURY: Catley, Speed, Haynes-Brown, Tracey, Blackwell, Hunt, Clarke, Wright (Cogger, 12 mins), Ricks (Stokes, 71 mins), Rowe, Bussens. Unused subs: Shipton, Field, Smith.

Referee: Ms S.L.Massey. Attendance: 363.

Click here for more pictures from Saturday's game.