Pre-Season Friendly - Saturday 24th July 2010 - 3:00 p.m. kick-off
Stratford Town 4 (1) Bromsgrove Sporting 0 (0)
Probably not a score line that Sporting wanted for their first outing but the result has to be looked at in context; that it was their first ever match and they were up against an experienced side playing football four divisions higher.
In fairness, for the first thirty minutes, there was little between the two sides with both teams moving the ball round well, playing a 3-5-2 formation, ideally suited to the wide pitch at Stratford's superb new stadium.
Sporting in fact nearly took an early lead on the fifth minute when Gary Wilkes supplied a good cross that Callum Howles put wide of the left hand post. Stratford's Tom Warmer should have done better with a free kick and half-volley a few minutes later whilst Shaun Maynard headed over for Sporting from a corner.
However, Stratford took control of the game on 20 minutes when Sporting failed to clear the ball bobbing around the box and Sean Pugh had the simplest of tap-ins.
Stratford's manager Rod Brown used all five substitutes at half-time and although he admitted that the players on the pitch were not his best eleven, they proved too much for Sporting who found the second half difficult.
The home side's second came on 65 minutes when again Sporting failed to clear and Myron Semper slotted home. Then on the 75th minute Dan Patrick made a clumsy tackle on the excellent Carl Motteram to give the tangerine side a penalty that Nick Pugh hit hard into the top left hand corner. World Cup players, please note this is how it is done!
Sporting's substitutes failed to make much of an impact and Stratford remained firmly embedded in the away team's half for much of the second period. Several good saves by substitute goalkeeper Richard Baker kept the red and white team in the match but Stratford got a fourth goal courtesy of Sam Allsop just before the referee blew the final whistle.
So Sporting are in business and the number of visiting fans were not too disappointed with the outcome. All agreed that pre-season friendlies are not the best guide as to what will follow. The father and son management team of John and Myles Day will have learnt a lot from the performance but will no doubt be looking to strengthen the team in all departments.
As for Stratford, they have outstanding facilities at their new Knights Road Stadium, an experienced manager and a squad of players with a good blend of youth and experience. Hardly surprising that Rod Brown is predicting they will win the Midland Football Alliance next season.
Stratford (tangerine shirts, shorts and socks) - Chris Jay, Rob Blair, Dennis Pearce (Mark Faulds HT), Mark Smith (Myron Semper HT), Barry Woolley (Capt, Chris Reeves HT), Nick Pugh, Sam Allsop, Tom Warmer (Nathan Edginton HT), Sean Pugh (Richard Coffley HT), Dave Pearson, Carl Motteram.
Sporting (red/white shirts, white shorts, blue socks) - Chris Mole (Richard Baker 52 mins), Sander Miliciev (Capt, Nick Bate 66 mins) Callum Howles (James Bradley 58 mins), Neil Cooksey (Jake Nash 55 mins), Dan Patrick, Nick Allen, James McKeon (Damien Jackson 55 mins), Gary Ross, Ryan Molesworth (Luke Edwards 73 mins), Shaun Maynard, Gary Wilkes.
Scorers: Stratford - Sean Pugh (20 mins), Myron Semper (65 mins), Nick Pugh (pen, 75 mins), Sam Allsop (90 mins)
Yellows: None
Reds: None
Attendance: 257
Weather: Warm and slightly overcast
Cucumber's MoM for Sporting: Richard Baker (no relation!) |