All good things to an end and I suppose it wasn't if but rather when the fantastic unbeaten run would finally be consigned to the history books.
In Rocester a team we played and lost against just 2 season's ago we knew it would be a different type of game than what we have seen recently.
Having gone out of the FA Vase by conceding 3 for the first time this season Rocester would also put the same amount past United and the winner in the final seconds.

United unveiled new striker Clinton Morrison before the game and although he couldn't help the Blues carry on the unbeaten run he couldn't show signs of what we have seen on many occasions for teams in the top flight and down the divisions. But you have to have the ball to be able to shoot.
With many games in the MFL being postponed due to the terrible rain over the country Friday night and into Saturday morning there were one or two worries that the Grange Park pitch may not hold up to its first real taste of the wet stuff. However on arrival at the ground the pitch looked almost perfect cancelling any doubts that the game would fall victim, an hour before kick off news was received that Basfords game at Walsall Wood went to the weather so United could see themselves 6 points clear at 5pm.

The game itself started slowly with United doing the more in the way of attacking but struggling to find Morrison up front, the formation with him up top with Wells and Watkis just behind, Watkis in a more advanced central position.

Theo Smith on the right was seeing a lot of the ball and although some of the crosses were hit a little long he was a constant danger in the first period for Rocester.

United had the first shot of the game in the 7th minute, good work down the right by Smith saw him go past a defender and centre the ball, Watkis was steaming in on the ball and hit a good shot that looked destined to open the scoring but a Rocester defender flung himself at the ball and the danger was cleared.
For the next 10 minutes it has to be said that the game was very poor, both sides hitting the ball in the air meaning the normal United passing games was absent. During this period the game was very even but the majority of play was in the middle of the pitch meaning both keepers had little to do.

United keeper did well in the 20th minute, after a period of pressure by the Romans a throw in was won level with the penalty area, it was too easy for Rocester United not closing down quick enough allowing Rob Smith a chance from 30 yards, he stuck the effort well but O'Brien saved brilliantly over the bar.
Three minutes later and Dan Brown for the visitors had his shot deflected over the bar by Ross Parker, it was another well struck effort but Parker managed to block the effort for the corner.

The game then slipped back into a long ball affair, United below par with the ball being it far to long for any attacker to have a chance on goal.
On 30 minutes defender David Boafo hit a long range shot from 35 yards, having found himself in space on the righ he strode into the Rocester half under no challenge. The Romans were backing off and Boafo struck the ball hard, unfortunately for him and the Blue's the ball swerved away to the left not troubling the visitors keeper.
It was strange that he was allowed the time as in the previous 30 United were not given a second on the ball forcing momentary errors allowing the visitors to get further up the pitch.
Morrison had a shot on 33 minutes having been set up by Jermain Hollis just outside the box on the left, he attempted a curled strike but a defender got in the way and the ball was sent over the fence onto the 3G courts at the back of the goal. From the resulting corner Parker who had come up side footed the ball towards goal on the penalty spot but there wasn't enough behind it and Rocester cleared eventually.

As the first half came to end it was one to forget really, the ball in the air for any real damage to be done but of the shots it was the Romans who would have gone in the happier having had both the games best chances.

If the first was uneventful the second was the complete opposite.
United looked a little more sharper and were moving the ball around quicker but Rocester were doing a fine defensive job clearing well as soon as the ball reached the area.

With the half just 4 minutes old Dominic Allen took his chance having seen another opening in front of him, his shot was hit well but bounced just wide of the far post from well outside the box.
The Blues were getting on top of the game and for the next 10 minutes would have the ball for the majority of the time although the Rocester defence still managed to get the ball away if the Blues got within a few yards.
The games first goal came in the 64th minute, Morrison who had moved over to the right picked the ball up from Hollis, he sent in a curling cross towards Watkis but a defender blocked it and put it out for the corner. Hollis got another delivery inch perfect and Ross Parker who had got away from a marker headed the ball down past the visitor keeper from 10 yards.
United began to control the game and Brad Wells had a header saved well from a free kick and a minute later Watkis saw his shot canon off defender to go out for a throw. In the 70th minute the Blues could have been 2 up, Hollis ran at the Romans back 4 before laying it off to Smith, he passed along the floor to Wells who had got in behind, as the keeper came out he chipped the ball but the keeper stretched out and plucked the ball before it went over him.

With 15 minutes to go everything went wrong from a United perspective, Allen fouled a Rocester player just inside the Blues half which saw him pick up a yellow card, from that free kick the ball was sent into the box. it was headed away as far as Frogatt who headed it back into the box, Morrison and Williams jumped for the ball, Willaims beating the United striker and the ball fell down invitingly for Ritchie-Smith who smashed it past O'Brien giving the keeper no chance.

The goal signalled a double substitution from the home side, Morrison and Watkis coming off for Cooper-Ricards and Rickford.

The game was now stretched out with 12 minutes to go, Theo Smith had a shot well saved and then up the other end Ritchie Smith was inches away from giving the visitors the lead but saw his shot come back off the advertisement boards rather than the net.

Just 2 minutes later and the Romans did take that lead. United seemed to be slowing down and Rocester took advantage, after the Blues failed to clear a great ball over on the far side was flicked in at the near post by Dan Brown, another goal keeper O'Brien could do little about and the visitors had got there noses in front.

This woke United back up and with 4 minutes left of normal time they drew level. A throw in near the Rocester corner was picked up by Allen, he hit a out swinging cross which Holis took down perfectly, he touched the ball to his right before turning and hitting a fantastic effort from just inside the box. That "should" have been that but there was more drama to come as the game went into injury time.

In what could be described as a "run of the mill" clearance the Blues caused themselves problems, Dan Smith found space on the right and he crossed in to the lone striker at the back post, Ross Parker headed clear. The ball dropped at the feet of Cooper-Richards, he miss controlled it and attempting to regain possession brought down Griffiths just inside the box. The referee immediately pointed to the spot.
Ritchie-Smith stepped up and fired it in low to the keepers right, the visitors had regained the lead with just seconds remaining of the time added on at the end.

So as the final whistle went the long run had come to an end, but if you look at it this way, the record has gone we can now forget about it and start again.