NEW BOYS SPORTING SHOW PLENTY OF SPIRIT BUT TOWN ARE TOO STRONG IN THE END
Stratford Town - 4 - S Pugh 20 Semper 65 N Pugh 75 (pen) Alsop 90
Bromsgrove Sporting - 0
Town contributed to a little piece of footballing history on Saturday when their opponents in their third pre-season friendly were Bromsgrove Sporting FC.. Newly formed by disaffected supporters of Bromsgrove Rovers this was Sporting’s first ever match before they begin their competitive life in Division 2 of the Midland Combination.
And they acquitted themselves with a good deal of credit as they held Town to a single goal in the first half before tiring after the break as Town’s superior fitness and organisation had the inevitable effect.
Rod Brown made three changes to his starting line-up from Thursday bringing in Rob Blair, Mark Smith and Tommy Warmer in place of Andy Wells, Richard Softley and Mark Faulds with Tim Jackson still being out injured.
A familiar face in Sporting’s line-up was keeper Chris Mole who was understudy to Chris Jay for Town throughout last season.
Sporting made a lively start with Callum Howells going close from distance within five minutes. Nicky Pugh replied for Town with a try from 20 yards out which was easily held by Mole before Jay made the first real save of the afternoon by acrobatically tipping over a Gary Wilkes free kick.
Sporting were making life difficult for Town with their energy and enthusiasm, but Town went ahead in the 20th minute when Warmer capitalised on some sloppy Sporting defending to whip in a low cross from the right which was turned in by Sean Pugh from close in.
Town then gradually began to dominate possession although a number of their attacking moves were cut short by the offside flag, but Nicky Pugh was not far away with a speculative first time effort on the half hour mark, and shortly before the break brother Sean headed inches over from a deep Dave Pearson cross.
Rod Brown sent on his five substitutes for the second half, with Chris Reeves, Mark Faulds, Richard Softley, Myron Semper, and Nathan Edgington replacing Dennis Pearce, Mark Smith, Barry Woolley, Sean Pugh and Dave Pearson, and the new look formation were soon into their stride with Edgington having two early chances to extend Town’s lead.
First he seized on a mistake by Neil Cooksey to set up a shooting opportunity only for Mole to get down well low to his right to save, and next he sent a free header narrowly over the bar after being picked out by a pinpoint Carl Motteram cross.
Sporting now began to make changes of their own including the replacement of Mole by Richard Baker and the new keeper was quickly in action turning away a close range effort from the busy Edgington and then safely holding a Nicky Pugh volley.
A second Town goal simply had to come and it duly arrived in the 65th minute with a crisp Myron Semper finish as the Sporting defence failed to deal with an Edgington cross from the left.
Town were in total control from then on with Sporting visibly wilting, and Chris Jay was a virtual spectator as most of the play took place in the Sporting half.
Nicky Pugh added a third for Town from the penalty spot with a quarter of an hour to go after Motteram was brought down by Dan Patrick as he surged into the penalty area, and Sam Alsop completed the scoring in the final minute latching on to an Edgingtom pass to slot right footed past Baker from 8 yards out.
Overall this was a professional performance from Town who now seem to have the makings of an effective unit, while Sporting will also take heart from their display which surely indicates that - at the level at which they have been placed - they should be able to look forward to a successful campaign.
TOWN : Jay, Blair, Pearce (Softley, 46), Smith (Faulds 46) Woolley (Reeves 46), N Pugh Alsop, Warmer, S Pugh (Semper 46) Pearson (Edginton 46), Motteram.
Attendance - 257
Match Report by Bryan Hale |