Sporting start the New Year as leaders of the Midland Combination Premier Division following a comfortable win against Pilkington XXX.
After the recent wet weather, there were doubts as to whether the game would start. However 24 hours without rain, an overnight drying wind and a small army of volunteers who braved hangovers to get the ground spruced up in the morning ensured that the pitch was playable even if a bit soft in parts.
After under-performing six days earlier against Pershore there were strict instructions from the management team for a quicker and more robust start from the Rouslers. And that is exactly what happened with Chrisi Conway having a header tipped over on six minutes, Nick Harris having a good effort blocked three minutes later and Andy Nicol seeing his shot miss by inches.
However the best chance in the early stages fell to Pilkington's Kyle Turner whose glanced header was turned round the post one-handed by Tom Savage diving to his left.
Pilkington could then feel rather aggrieved when Conner Leek looked to be bundled over in the area only for Mr Cutts to firmly rule that it was not a foul.
Sporting's first goal came on 18 minutes after some neat passing on a less than helpful surface. Nick Harris dummied his marker just outside the box and had plenty of time to chip over an inch-perfect cross to Any Nicol who easily headed home from near the right-hand post.
With their tails up, Sporting went after their second and had several efforts blocked before opposition 'keeper Daniel Leach was needed. However the visitors nearly equalised when Turner found himself with space in the box, side-stepped Tom Savage but hit a week shot that looked is if it would just about roll home but for a brilliant bit of work by Sporting right-back Danny Deehan who ran back and hooked the ball off the line and out for a corner.
That really though was the last we saw of any menace from the visitors as Sporting then dominated proceedings pretty much for the rest of the game. The second goal came five minutes before the interval when James Turk hit home the rebound after his initial shot was blocked by Leach.
With the heavy pitch taking its toll, both teams used up all their substitutes early on in an attempt to maintain some momentum but it did not really help the visitors who conceded a third goal on 60 minutes when the unfortunate Derek Wilkes turned Chrisi Conway's cross past his own 'keeper.
Pilkington tactics now appeared to be damage limitation as they packed the goal area and managed to block any further Sporting attempts. However the home side managed to stretch the back line enough allow James Turk to swing over a neat cross that the unmarked Elliot Nash gleefully hit home into the roof of the net for Sporting's fourth.
Chris Morison made it number five with two minutes of normal time left when he got a toe-poke to Jovan Blake-Walker cross after the pacy youngster had brought the ball up field from his own half.
In the hospitality room after the game, joint manager Keith Draper said he was pleased not just with the result but also the performance. Both the defence and midfield had remained solid despite a number of enforced changes to the line-up, passing had been good, the ball had not been given away and a number of good chances had been created.
Sporting: Tom Savage, Aaron Roberts, Danny Deehan (Chris Morrison 64 mins), Jamie Parker, Chris Gleadow, Nick Harris (capt), Keith Draper Jnr (Nick Martin 54 mins), James Turk, Chrisi Conway (Jovan Blake-Walker 73 mins), Andy Nicol, Elliot Nash.
Subs not used: Joe Brooks, Jack Lodge.
Pilkington: Daniel Leach, Marcus King, Derek Wilkes (Ryan Gardiner 72 mins), Chris Reeves, Neil Ward, Jack McGinn, Anthony Miller, Mitchell Thompson (Jay Wooldridge 63 mins), Kyle Turner, Conner Leek, Wade Malley (Tom Goodwins 46 mins).
Sub not used: Sam Hawker |