"Football matches don't get much better that this", admitted one supporter as Sporting turned defeat into victory in added time after the normal 90 minutes were up.
That Sporting had to play most of the second half with just 10 men only added to the drama that keeps the Bromsgrove Club top of the Midland Combination Premier Division and extends their lead to six points.
Stafford will be kicking themselves that they did not take advantage of the extra man and extend the lead beyond their visitors reach after taking the lead in the first half.
There was little to choose between the two sides early as they matched each other for possession though Sporting had the better of the chances. James Turk had a good effort cleared of the line on the fifth minute whilst on twelve minutes the lively Elliot Nash saw his shot blocked by Chris Morris.
It was Morris who broke the deadlock on the 33rd minute. He took a free-kick from just outside the box, that bounced back to him off the wall and before the advancing Sporting defence could get to the ball, Morris fired home the re-bound through a crowded area. Sporting 'keeper Tom Savage was unsighted and dived late only for to the ball go past his outstretched right hand into the corner of the net.
It was hardly surprising that Sporting came out for the second half looking more energetic and fired up. The game up to then had been played in a competitive but fair sprit so Chris Gleadow's high tackle on 52 minutes came as a bit of a surprise. He looked to be going for the ball and probably got a touch but his foot was up ands studs showing as he hit Chris Morris's shins. Clumsy rather than malicious but there were no arguments for the resulting red card.
From then on each Sporting player had to give an extra 10% and that is exactly what happened with the visitors having a number of shots blocked whilst the home side appeared to be content to sit on their slender lead.
Elliot Nash, Keith Draper and Andy Nicol also saw good efforts come to nothing whilst Aaron Roberts' overlapping runs from right-back were posing a constant threat to the Stafford defence.
With just a minute of normal time left, Andy Nicol forced Stafford 'keeper Sam Winstanley into a low save but it was after the 90 minutes that the excitement began.
With two minutes of added time played, Elliot Nash chipped over a cross from near the left-hand corner post. This floated to Matt Ross waiting at the far post who seized his opportunity firing home from a few yards out to even up the scoreline.
Fair enough, a point in such circumstances would be gratefully taken but there was more to come a couple of minutes later. Sporting won a free-kick just on the edge of the Stafford penalty area. Nick Harris was expected to bend it over the wall but instead he saw a gap and hit it along the floor tucking the ball into the corner of the Stafford net to give his side a dramatic and unexpected victory.
Speaking after the game, joint manager Keith Draper said that Sporting's team sprit and never-say-die attitude had seen them through. There was great belief in the dressing room and that had been proven by battling back against the odds.
Stafford: Sam Winstanley, Steve Bennett, Joe Woodward (James Price 63 mines), Matt Dockerty (capt), Spencer Gunnell, Ryan Fox, Ismael Reid, Chris Morris, Paul McMahon, Liam Evans (Wayne Bailey 79 mins), Darryl Johns (Chris Hulme 60 mins).
Subs not used: James Wild, James Cresswell.
Sporting: Tom Savage, Aaron Roberts, Jamie Parker, Nick Martin (capt, Jovan Blake-Walker 71 mins), Chris Gleadow, Nick Harris, Keith Draper Jnr, James Turk (Matt Ross 41 mins), Andy Nicol, Chris Morrison (Jack Lodge 79 mins), Elliot Nash.
Subs not used: Adam Humphries, Luke Dugmore. |