A crowd of almost 500 welcomed football back to the Victoria Ground as Bromsgrove Sporting took on Greenhill from Brierley Hill in this Midland Combination Division 2 clash. With the ground basking in a rare spell of autumn sunshine the Directors and fans of Sporting could not have written a better script with the team running out convincing winners.
As the game started Sporting showed their attacking intentions with 2 corners in the first minute and centre forward Odane Barnes heading narrowly wide from the second one. Greenhill fought hard to get a foothold in the game during the early stages and had their own corner on 10 minutes which produced a shot which Sporting keeper Mole saved easily.
The lively Barnes had 3 more attempts on goal in the opening 21 minutes before winger Zac Blood had a shot cleared off the line and striker Michael Woolman was just off target twice. Greenhill gained a free kick on the edge of Sporting's area which Mole saved confidently before Sporting went ahead in the 29th minute. Blood received the ball on the left and cut into the area before shooting and beating keeper Cowdell low down at his near post.
Sporting were two up 8 minutes later as James McKeon shot home from the right edge of the box. Half-time came with Sporting 2 - 0 and well worth their lead.
The 2nd half started with Sporting continuing to dominate but despite a succession of corners it was another 20 minutes before they scored again. A good move down the right was finished off by Zac Blood's side foot from an unmarked position on the left side of the area.
On 75 minutes three nil became four as Dan Wilkes scored the goal of the game finishing off a fine passing move from half way by lashing the ball in via a post with Cowdell rooted to the spot. A minute later it was 5 - 0 as the keeper made a hash of getting down to a shot from 30 yards by Nick Harris and it crept in under his dive.
Another 3 minutes passed and another goal for Harris from 18 yards made it 6 0 for Sporting. That looked like it would be it as Sporting made their last substitutions and the game looked to be petering out except for a booking for a late tackle by Greenhill's Tudor. However, there was just time for Harris to complete his hat-trick and make the score 7 0 in injury time.
Sporting (red & white shirts, blue shorts, blue socks): Chris Mole, Chris Bright, Nick Allen, James McKeon, Richard Griffiths (Capt), Danny Patrick, Dab Wilkes (Adam Welborn 78 mins), Nick Harris, Odane Barnes (Jamie Siviter 80 mins), Michael Woolman, Zac Blood (James Bradley 85 mins).
Subs not used: Alistair Crawford, Callum Fair.
Greenhill; Danny Cowdell, Jon Boden, Darren Wothers, Gareth Williams, Nick Tudor, Mark Lanni (Jack Lewis 67 mins), Matt Priest (Daymian Underhill 67 mins), Tom Millington, Andy Millington, Grant Griffiths, Tony Clift (Kieron Bodin 67 mins). Subs not used: Keith Dalton, Matt Waterhouse. |