BLUES LEFT FRUSTRATED BY ROMS BLANK

Blues ended their run of three consecutive away defeats, but were still left frustrated by a goalless draw at Romulus.

Neil Baker made two changes to his starting line-up with Tim Grice and Joe Kearns replacing Niall Maguire and Scott Lycett.

In the 3rd minute, Jordan Johnson saw his shot deflected just over the crossbar.

Romulus hit back and Danny Roberts had to get down low to make a good save on 10 minutes.

With quarter of an hour played Dan Trickett-Smith played a fine ball through to Grice but his shot was well blocked by the onrushing Billy Spink in the Romulus goal.

Trickett-Smith came desperately close to opening the scoring himself on 23 minutes as he attempted an audacious 40-yard chip that saw Spink scrambling backwards to claw the ball on to the crossbar.

In the 29th minute Rob Stevenson swept a low ball across the six-yard box but Trickett-Smith was just unable to turn it in at the back post.

Arguably the best chance of the game a minute before half-time when Johnson found himself through on goal, but he was unable to find his trademark finish curling the ball just wide of the post.

Blues continued to have the lion's share of the possession after the break, but clear-cut chances were not as easy to come by as the home side appeared to settle in for the point with Roberts now a virtual spectator.

The best chances came in the final five minutes as Blues threw everything at trying to find a winner.

On 88 minutes, Jordan Lemon fired a ball across the area which everyone missed until it reached sub Sam Grimshaw, but he fired into the side netting.

Two minutes later Stevenson deflected Trickett-Smith's ball goalwards, but Spink got down well at the near post to push the ball around the post.

Blues afternoon was summed up in added time as Stevenson unleashed a fierce angled drive that Spink just got enough on to tip the ball on to the crossbar.

Team: Roberts, Lemon, Kearns, Grocott, Green, Chadwick, Johnson (Grimshaw, 79), Hall, Grice, Trickett-Smith, Stevenson

Unused subs: Lycett, Davies, Maguire, Whitehead

Yellow card: Grice

Attendance: 103