ALTHIUM MIDLAND COMBINATION DIVISION 1
MONDAY 9TH APRIL 2012
BROMSGROVE SPORTING 4 NORTHFIELD TOWN 1
The league season at the Victoria Ground ended, as expected, with a win over the bottom team but it was a struggle at times. The conditions were awful, wet and cold for the small crowd with a muddy pitch for the players to contend with. It certainly didn't help Sporting's passing game and for an hour or so proved a leveller.
Sporting took a while to get going but took the lead after 23 minutes when Chris Conway made room for himself in the penalty area and shot across the goalkeeper into the far corner. Lifted by this the Rouslers took control and nearly had a second on the half hour. Conway was fouled on the edge of the penalty area and Banner's free kick was just wide of the post with the goalkeeper wrong footed. But just a minute later Northfield were level. Sporting conceded a free kick on the edge of their own area and Briggs fired through the wall to level. That knocked Sporting out of their stride and for the remainder of the half they didn't look like scoring despite dominating possession.
The second half opened in similar fashion, Sporting seeing most of the ball but Northfield working hard to hold on to what they had. They had a couple of counter attacks but always lacked the ability to find the right pass and debutant goalkeeper Anderson was untroubled. It was all becoming very frustrating until, on 64 minutes, Sporting regained the lead. Conway made ground down the left and his pass was touched back to Banner whose shot went under the diving goalkeeper into the net. Soon after Conway had a shot well saved by Morgan at his near post.
After 73 minutes Sporting made a double substitution bringing on Brookes and Keith Draper Junior. Within a minute Draper had scored with his first touch turning in Conway's low centre while just a minute later Conway himself scored after being set up by the excellent Turk. Northfield now looked tired and demoralised and Sporting, with better finishing, could have had further goals. The grim struggle of the first hour became a distant memory.
So Sporting ended the home fixtures as they began, with a win. Three away games remain. All the Rouslers can do is win them and hope. If we don't go up, it won't have been at the VG that promotion was lost, but at places like Archdale and Hampton. And even if we do go up there's still a lesson there.
Sporting. Anderson, Roberts, McNally, Nick Martin, Thurbon, Turk, Bright (Draper 73), Jenvey (Wilkes 78), Conway, Hendry (Brookes 73), Banner
Sub Not Used: Allen, Rogers
Yellow Cards:
Northfield: Morgan, Spence, Tom Martin (McWhirter 82), Boazman, Walton, Briggs, Williams, Phelan, (Skeritt 44), McGrath (Hughes-Tranter 67), Fenlon, Lloyd
Subs Not Used: Mallom, Moran
Yellow Cards: Briggs
Referee Mr. D. Humphries (Edgbaston)
Rouslers Man of the Match : James Turk |