A cold but fine evening after rain throughout the day was the setting for the second leg of the Northern Area Final against Crewe Alexandra. The first leg ended in a 3-all draw a fortnight ago so it is all to play for. Tonight's match is being shown live on Sky TV and if it follows the pattern of the first game it will provide good entertainment for the armchair millions.

The Rovers have had a flu virus going through the club, which occasioned Sean O'Driscoll to leave out some players suffering from the virus, on Saturday. From that team, the manager has made three changes tonight, Steve Roberts, Paul Heffernan and Mark Wilson coming in for Sean Thornton, Jonathan Forte and Paul Green. Crewe's game on Saturday against Scunthorpe United was called off because of a waterlogged pitch and most of their injured players have now recovered so Dario Gradi has got a full squad to choose from. The Rovers defended the South Stand (Rossington) end in the first half.

The initial firework display went off with quite a bang and when the smoke cleared the referee gave the okay for the Rovers to set the ball in motion. Crewe were the first to get a sight of the opposition goal but the cross from their left went begging at the far post. The Rovers then responded by going forward and winning a corner on their right but this was cleared. Minutes later and a free kick on the Rovers left from Stock was cleared with some difficulty by the Crewe defence. Sustained pressure from the tenth minute by the Rovers could easily have produced a couple of goals. A throw in at the right corner flag to the Rovers was played in to the middle where Price tried an overhead kick but it was easily saved by Williams. The Rovers followed up with a good link up on the right as Coppinger, O'Connor and Price set up the latter but his shot was blocked. Continuing the pressure, Coppinger sent in a full blooded drive from the right of goal, which Williams tipped over his head but as he was out of his goal it needed Baudet to clear off the goal-line as Price closed in. Constant attack over the next twenty minutes from the Rovers, with only a couple of incursions from Crewe into the Rovers half, still didn't produce the desired effect of a goal but it wasn't for the want of trying. A cross from the right byline by Coppinger was half controlled by Heffernan before falling to Price, whose attempted shot was blocked. It rebounded to Stock but he fired wide. Then Heffernan was played through on goal but mis-controlled the ball allowing the chasing pack to clear the ball. As the half hour loomed up, a corner to the Rovers caused the Crewe defence to defend desperately for a couple of minutes before Lee headed wide from a Gareth Roberts cross. On 31 minutes, Crewe gained possession in midfield, with the ball played to the left where Varney was stood allm alone with only Lockwood back but not in a position to interfere. VARNEY took the ball on and slotted past the oncoming Smith for the first goal of the game completely against the run of play. To compound matters, another four minutes passed when another Crewe attack looked to have petered out as the Rovers defence allowed the ball to run out for a goal kick. Unfortunately Gary Roberts of Crewe was on hand to prevent the ball going out and a cross to the middle was headed in from close range by LOWE. The Rovers pushed forward again. O'Connor cut in from the right before sending in a left foot drive that went wide and shortly afterwards Heffernan hit a volley well over the bar.  The Rovers then hit trouble when Gareth Roberts pulled up whilst running for a ball with what looked like a hamstring injury. Green substituted for him. A minute from the end of normal time, Price came in from the left before hitting a rising shot for Williams to tip away. In added-on time Price put an effort wide then Green had a shot saved. The break came with Crewe going in with a two goal lead. 

The Rovers came out for the second half in the same frame of mind as they began the first half. The first ten minutes were spent camped in the Crewe half but a corner, which Price headed just wide of the far post, was the only real result. Then, on 55 minutes, Crewe attacked through Lowe. He fed Varney on the left, springing the Rovers offside trap and ran on. Smith blocked his shot and Lockwood put out for a corner. Lowe met the corner kick at the far post but blasted high and wide. The Rovers continued to press forward and, on 63 minutes, gained their reward. Stout defending by the Crewe men was nullified when the ball came to HEFFERNAN just inside the area. A quick turn and a low shot found the bottom corner of the net. Two minutes later, Wilson sent in a fierce drive from 25 yards that Williams fumbled but managed to recover as Price raced in. On 71 minutes, a free kick on the Rovers right was headed just over by Lee. A minute later and good play by O'Connor, to mSteve Roberts, to Coppinger and then a cross from the latter across the face of goal was deflected for a corner to the Rovers. As the last ten minutes came up Crewe went down the left with Bignot, who crossed from the byline across the face of goal that was missed by an onrushing Crewe player and several Rovers defenders. At the other end Wilson was just wide with a 25 yarder. Then, on 80 minutes, Price came in from the right, Jones got too close and pulled him down in the penalty area. Penalty said the referee without any hesitation. Heffernan stepped up to place low to the keepers left as he went the other way. Tumuluous cheering but the referee said take it again. HEFFERNAN refused all offers to take the kick and shot high into the roof of the net for an equalising goal. All out assault now by the Rovers in search of a winning goal. Price had a shot saved, Lee headed over  from a Nelthorpe cross and a corner was cleared. But on 89 minutes came the defining moment when good play with Coppinger at the centre of it gave PRICE the chance to shoot in, at the second attempt, from close range. Added time came as Crewe attempted to hit back. Maynard shot as he fell and Smith saved. Heffernan was wide at the other end. Higden, just on as a substitute, scored for Crewe but he was plainly offside and the linesmen verified it with his flag up. The final whistle went, with the Rovers taking the plaudits after a stunning comeback in the second half.

Onward to the Millenium at Cardiff on the 1st of April against one of the Bristol teams and the fans will be there to get behind their team as they have done tonight.  

Teams - ROVERS - Ben Smith; James O'Connor, Steve Roberts, Adam Lockwood, Graeme Lee, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Mark Wilson, Brian Stock; Jason Price, Paul Heffernan.

Subs used - Paul Green for Gareth Roberts 43 mins; Sean Thornton for Stock 70 mins; Craig Nelthorpe for Steve Roberts 75 mins;

Subs not used - Sam Hird, Barry Richardson gk.

Cautions - James O'Connor, Price,

Crewe Alexandra - Ben Williams; Jon Otsemobor, Billy Jones, Gary Roberts, Julian Baudet, Michael O'Connor, David Vaughan, LUke Varney, Ben Rix, Ryan Lowe, Paul Bignot.

Subs used - Nicky Maynard for Lowe 75 mins; Michael Higden for Gary Roberts

Subs not used - Neil Cox, Danny O'Donnell, Stuart Tomlinson gk 

Caution - Baudet, Varney, Michael O'Connor,