Sporting saw off Coventry Copsewood in style in a goal rout at Victoria Ground, despite the weather.
Goals from Mark Bellingham, who was officially commended before the game for scoring his 600th non-league goal, Daniel Ludlow, Sean Williams and substitute Lewis Clarke comfortably out matched a lacklustre Copsewood performance.
As the wind blew fiercely, both teams found it hard in the open exchanges to produce any real quality.
Copsewood's Petajon Gordon sent in a curling cross which the wind blew over the bar. The resulting goal kick by Sporting's Jake Bedford was brought back immediately, again by the forceful winds.
At the other end, the hosts' Sean Williams, who was lively all afternoon, drove forward on the right wing, only to be clumsily taken by the opposition.
Not long after, Sporting's Mark Bellingham found himself through on goal, only to be adjudged offside. But on 18 minutes he picked up the ball inside the box and coolly stroked it into the net.
Taking the lead, the home side really sparked into life. Williams attacked the goal immediately from the kick off, linking up well with Brett Mander, though the Coventry defence intercepted.
After 23 minutes Bellingham took advantage of a loose ball in the final third. He laid it off to Matt Poyner who then cut it back to Daniel Ludlow and the winger lashed in goal number two from just inside the box. A very well worked goal by Bromsgrove.
Williams continued to terrorise the Copsewood defence, while Sporting were looking very dangerous all over the pitch. At the other end, Coventry's Gordon was caught off side. The first half finished at 2-0.
The second half started as the first had finished. Good movement by Sporting resulted in a last ditch tackle to dispossess Poyner from adding a third.
Coventry then burst down the field, the Sporting defence seemed to go to sleep for a second, though Martin Gormley's resulting shot was blocked by the home defence and cleared.
But the Rouslers responded well, and when Daniel Ludlow cut into the box from the right, he was taken down by a reckless challenge from James Ritson, winning the penalty. Ritson was booked.
Bellingham's penalty was initially saved, though he coolly put away the rebound to put the hosts 3-0 up on 55 minutes.
And it wasn't long before Sporting added a fourth. Bellingham crossed to Williams who headed back across the goal into the corner on 56 minutes.
Bellingham, who was still in search of his hat-trick, continued to push the nervy Coventry defence. He headed unluckily over the bar and then minutes later drilled a low ball across goal, but no one could finish it off.
In the meantime, the home side were having to stay composed in order to retain the clean sheet. Joe Cole's last ditch tackle prevented Steven McGinty from being through on goal.
But the away team were relying on long balls while Sporting continued to press in a more controlled manner.
Williams burst through on goal and rifled the ball into the bottom left corner to make it 5-0 on 71 minutes.
Sporting looked capable of scoring at any moment. Substitute Stefan Ashman, who was making his debut appearance, looked lively. His mazy run through the box inside the last ten minutes, confused the opposition defence, though his shot went wide.
It was 6-0 on 88 minutes. Ashman lashed in a shot which was blocked but Lewis Clarke drove the ball into the net after the resulting goal mouth scramble. Ashman deserved a debut goal and he continued to push for it, though his shot in the last minute was saved.
Sporting: Jake Bedford, Brett Mander, Craig Jones, Sam Wilkinson (Lewis Clarke, 69), Joe Cole, Daniel Morris, Sean Williams, Darius Darkin, Mark Bellingham, Matt Poyner (Billy Russell, 69), Daniel Ludlow (Stefan Ashman, 62)
Subs not used: Adam Heath, Chris Heath
Coventry: Dale O'Donnell, Sam Thompson, Adam Spalding, Liam Cairns, James Ritson, Lee Hunt, Ross Wimbush (David Tonks, 69), Michael Bawden, Martin Gormley, Petajon Gordon (Steven McGinty, 65), Danny Fraser (Mussa Gift, 80) |