Bromsgrove Sporting extended their unbeaten league record to eleven matches in style, thrashing Southam United 10-0 thanks to five goals from Mark Bellingham and three from Billy Russell.
Sporting came into this match winning their previous six league games and continued this strong form early into the first half. It took The Rouslers five minutes to open their scoring account after an unmarked Mark Bellingham headed past Michael Ojeil from a corner.
The home side was relentless in their attacking pressure and followed the goal with a string of chances that should have doubled the score line. Sean Williams' header was blocked on the line and Bellingham was denied a hat-trick of chances, the best of which when his free kick struck the outside of the post.
Southam United eventually crumbled under the pressure and the home side got their well-deserved second of the match thanks to a superb solo goal from Billy Russell, whose skill and strength enabled him to cut inside onto his right foot and rifle the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
Mark Bellingham doubled his match tally in the 33rd minute after controlling Williams' cross and then slid the ball underneath Ojeil's arm to give the home side a 3-0 lead.
One minute later the game already looked won after Southam's Matt Wyatt's poor reactions allowed Billy Russell to win possession of the ball and then bettering his first finish, curling the ball into the far right corner of the net from just outside the box on the far side.
Another calamity by Southam saw Bromsgrove head into half time 5-0 up. Sean Williams capitalised on a bad decision by Ojeil outside his area and taking possession off the goalkeeper and tapping the ball into an empty net.
Sporting began the second half as they finished the first with it taking them only 30 seconds after the re-start to score their sixth thanks to Craig Jones tapping the ball into the net from a poorly defended corner.
Sporting's defence was resilient all day and they managed to prolong Southam's first shot until the 49th minute but Nial Thomas' effort caused little trouble as Bromsgrove's Jake Bedford spread his body well to save the shot.
Matt Poyer came close to getting the home sides seventh but his shot bounced inches wide of the far post.
Craig Jones bettered that attempt just shy of the hour mark with his audacious scissor kick bringing a good save out of Ojeil.
One minute later and Bellingham completed his hat-trick after the ball stuck the striker's knee from a cross and bounced into Ojeil's bottom left hand corner, stretching the lead to 7-0.
Bellingham was again involved in the next Sporting move on the hour mark and laid the ball off to Sam Wilkinson whose powerful shot was tipped away for a corner.
The danger still persisted from the corner for Southam and Bellingham, with his back towards goal, twisted from a few yards out after Craig Jones headed the ball to his feet and he then tapped the ball into the goalkeeper's bottom right corner, marking Bellingham's fourth and Sporting's eighth.
Russell completed his hat-trick during the final 20 minutes after bringing the ball again onto his right foot on the edge of the box and stuck the ball under Ojeil's hand and just inside the near post making the score 9-0.
With a quarter of an hour to play the scoring was completed when Bellingham bagged his fifth of the match with some impressive link-up play with Wilkinson. Wilkinson flicked the ball over the last defenders head inside the box which fell kindly to Bellingham who confidently volleyed the ball into the left side of the goal, bringing the score line into double digits.
The final ten minutes resulted in much of the same with key chances created from the home side. Williams' shot deflected wide, Bellingham's header crept wide of the far post and both Russell and Brett Mander's attempts was denied by Ojeil.
The score line finished 10-0 to Bromsgrove Sporting who close the gap on leaders Brocton to six points after their 1-1 draw with Nuneaton Griff on the weekend, but with Brocton holding two precious games in hand over Sporting it looks a tall order for them to clinch that promotion place.
Attendance 291
Referee: Trevor Sharratt
Bromsgrove Sporting: Jake Bedford, Brett Mander, Jack Wilson, Matt Poyner, Joe Cole (C), Craig Jones, Sean Williams, Sam Wilkinson, Mark Bellingham, Billy Russell, Daniel Ludlow SUB: Darious Darkin, Chris Duggan, James Johnson, Daniel Morris
Southam United: Michael Ojeil, Jake Marshall, Ben Tennant, Matt Wyatt, Joe Williams, Danny Wylde, Connor Wilson, Ryan Isherwood, Steve Thomas, Oliver Manoochehri, Nial Thoms SUB: Sam Cantalapieda, Suki Nijjar, Louis Bednall, Hugh McLuskie |