St Mary's Hospice Midland Football Combination Premier Division - Saturday 3rd May 2014, 3:00 p.m. kick-off
Bolehall Swifts 1 (1) Bromsgrove Sporting 3 (2)
Sporting finished their league campaign with a useful if not totally convincing win against Bolehall Swifts. With several absences and a two-week gap since their last match, manager Adie Mander had to shuffle his side around and it took a few minutes for them to find their rhythm and a pattern of play. Lewis Clarke returned to the team after a brief spell at Lye Town whilst Will Tibbetts also returned taking his place on the right-wing.
Swifts started the stronger and after putting a couple of good efforts over the bar, they took the lead on 11 minutes when Chris Cowley beat the offside-trap and after side-stepping Bromsgrove 'keeper Jake Bedford fired low into the bottom corner of the net. Unfortunately for Cowley, he had to go off a few minutes later with an arm injury.
The home side then contrived to miss three gilt-edged chances that would have put the match beyond Sporting with striker Chris Sturridge-Packer the offender missing two open goals then firing a weak header straight into Bedford's arms.
Sporting took advantage and got back into the match on 38 minutes. Brett Mander made a good run up-field from right-back and hit an inch-perfect cross into the box that Lewis Clarke gratefully headed into the top right-hand corner.
Craig Jones then became the second casualty of the afternoon when he went off just before half-time in some pain with a strained calf muscle to be replaced by Richard Taylor. Sporting though had enough time to take the lead two minutes into added time. Danny Ludlow was fouled just outside the box, Clarke took the resulting free-kick to Mark Bellingham whose shot rolled along the goal-line to Matt Poyner who finished off the move by blasting home.
The Rouslers then had the better of the play after the break and their well-organised defence stopped Bolehall from having any real chances in the second half. The third goal came on 72 minutes following a Danny Ludlow corner that nearly went straight in. Swifts' poor clearance off the line went out to Matt Poyner who easily shot home from short range.
Poyner nearly got his hat-trick a couple of minutes later when his shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced out to Danny Ludlow who put the ball in the net only to see the linesman flag for offside.
Referee Mr Kerrigan played just one minute of added time before blowing for the end of the league season for both clubs.
After the match, coach Les Palmer said, "It was a typical end of season match. We were a bit fortunate to be 2-1 up at half-time but we played much better in the second half stopping them from scoring and I thought we deserved the win".
Bolehall (yellow shirts, yellow shorts, yellow socks): Tom McNulty, Nick Heath (Capt.), Charlton Davis, Joseph Obi, Adam Goodby, Scott Goodby, Steven Day, Lewis Chadwick, David Yonwin, Christopher Sturridge-Packer, Chris Cowley (Simeon Smith 19 mins).
Subs not used: David Harwood, Brett Larkins.
Yellows: Steven Day (84 mins), Nick Heath (89 mins)
Goal: Chris Cowley (11 mins)
Sporting (green/white shirts, shorts, socks): Jake Bedford, Brett Mander, Jack Wilson, Lewis Clarke, Joe Cole (Capt.), Craig Jones (Richard Taylor 44 mins), Will Tibbetts (Sam Wilkinson, 61 mins), Matt Poyner, Mark Bellingham, Sean Williams, Danny Ludlow.
Sub not used: Ryan Andrews
Scorers: Lewis Clarke (38 mins), Matt Poyner (45+2, 72 mins).
Yellow: Sam Wilkinson (86 mins)
Referee: Mr J Kerrigan (Cannock)
Assistants: Mr C Beecham, Mr P Jeffrey
Crowd: 86
Weather: Warm, sunny.
Sporting Man of the Match: Jack Wilson
Reporter: Phil Baker |