After two disappointing draws, Sporting returned to form on Saturday with an emphatic win against Worcester outfit Archdale '73.
Not that Sporting had it all their own way, particularly in the first quarter of the game. Both sides pretty well cancelled each other out during that time though the visitors squandered two golden opportunities to take the lead. Firstly when Sporting 'keeper Tom Savage fumbled an easy catch that he just stopped rolling over the line then a poor clearance from the same player went straight to Archdale's Brad Birch who hit it back goalwards only for the ball to go outside the right hand post.
This incident seemed to liven Sporting up and moments later on the 27th minute they took the lead with a superb effort by Chrisi Conway whose shot swerved away from the outstretched arm of Archdale's 'keeper Dean Smith into the bottom left hand corner of his net.
Just before half-time things got a bit out of control when a tackle by Brad Birch on Chrisi Conway resulted in a display of handbags that referee Mr Spence eventually resolved with a couple of yellow cards to the offending players.
Five minutes after half-time Sporting doubled their lead again through Chrisi Conway who had plenty of time to put his shot away from 8 yards out after scuffing his first attempt.
Sporting were now showing much more confidence and moving the ball around well stretching the Archdale back four. This led to the third goal, put away by left-back Aaron Roberts who drove a fine shot into the top of the net from just inside the penalty area.
Archdale though still had something in their tank. Substitute Dean Harding-Hall made a quick break down the left and with Sporting's defence in a bit of disarray he put a good pass into the box where the vastly experienced Mark Owen turned 180 degrees before coolly slotting the ball between Tom Savage and the near post.
Now it was Archdale's turn to press fo
rward and on 71 minutes they nearly got another but for Tom Savage tipping another Mark Owen effort over the bar.
Just a minute later though Sporting put the match beyond their opponents reach when Aaron Roberts got his second somewhat similar to his first. He had plenty of time to hit his shot from just inside the box into the top right hand corner.
A few second's later Chrisi Conway's glory of getting a hat-trick disappeared when he blasted way over the bar when it was easier to score. However James Turk finished off the scoring for the afternoon when he got his first for Sporting in fine style as he chipped Dean Smith with just four minutes left on the clock.
Manager Keith Draper was well satisfied with this win that takes the Bromsgrove side back to third place in the league. However other teams have games in hand so Sporting have to hope rivals drop points whilst they pick up maximum points in their remaining five matches.
Sporting: Tom Savage, Karl Fellows (Kevin Banner 80 mins), Aaron Roberts, Nick Martin, Mike Thurbon, Joe Brookes (capt), Keith J Draper, James Turk, Jon Rogers (Robbie Hendry 75 mins), Chrisi Conway, Dan Wilkes (Ryan Molesworth 73 mins).
Substitutes not used: Peter Jenvey, Keelan McNally.
Archdale: Dean Smith, Craig Selby, Adam Grainger, Ben Rothery, Mick Collins, Wayne Lloyd, Brad Birch, Nathan Hayward (Dean Harding-Hall 48 mins), Garry Price (Damien Fearn 78 mins), Mark Owen (capt), James Insall.
Substitutes not used: Mark Saysell, Matt Davis, George Martin. |