Sporting's indifferent home form continued last Saturday but at least on this occasion it ended with a win. The first 20 minutes belonged exclusively to the home side who dominated play and remained camped in the Alvis half but failed to find the net.
Early on Sean Brain put an effort over the bar whilst Ryan Mahon and Jack Wilson should have done better when in good positions. Brain finally got a shot on target on the 25th minute only for the Alvis 'keeper Jack Hartopp to tip it over the bar.
Inevitably Alvis took the lead pretty well with their first serious attack of the match. After a quick break up-field striker Michael Healy forced Jake Bedford to put the ball out for a corner, that Aaron Cheshire cleanly headed home to give his side the lead.
Play then continued pretty much as before with Sporting having the majority of possession. They really should have equalised on the 34th minute when Alvis cleared two shots in quick succession from Reece Hewitt off the line.
The away side were still relying on fast breaks and could have had a second moments later but for an excellent tackle from Craig Jones on Paul Green in the box. Then just before the break Reece Hewitt hit the angle with a 20 yards shot.
After just five minutes of the second half, Scott Smith limped off and was substituted by Chrisi Conway to give support to Sean Brain who had been playing as the lone front man for much of the match.
As often happens, that was the turning point of the match and the stocky striker did not take long to get on to the score sheet. He received the ball wide out on the left, took a few strides then unleashed a perfectly floated shot over both defence and keeper into the top left hand corner of Hartopp's net to give the home side an equaliser.
The Rouslers continued to press forward for the lead with Conway this time acting as the supplier of a first rate cross after dummying two defenders only to find nobody in the goal area to tap home.
However the pressure finally paid off on the 78th minute when the hard-working Danny Ludlow put a ball in the box that Brain comfortably headed home into the top of the net.
Despite having four strikers on the pitch, Sporting preferred to defend the lead rather than risk extending it and for the remaining minutes the only incident was for Luke Doughty to get a second yellow card after a rugby tackle on Jozsef Jakab and go off for an early shower.
After the match manager Paul Smith said "I was disappointed with our performance in the first half but we played our Get Out of Gaol Card in the second half and at least gained a win".
Sporting: Jake Bedford, Chris Duggan, Jack Wilson (Jozsef Jakab 74 mins), Simon Fitter, Craig Jones, Scott Smith (Capt, Chrisi Conway 50 mins), Will Tibbetts (Sam Wills 74 mins), Reece Hewitt, Sean Brian, Ryan Mahon, Danny Ludlow.
Subs not used: Dave Almond, Chris Sockett
Scorers: Chrisi Conway (62 mins), Sean Brain (78 mins).
Yellow: Jake Bedford (34 mins)
Alvis: Jack Hartopp, Luke Doughty, Nathan Martin, Steve Evans (Capt), Aaron Cheshire, Oliver Basham, Raj Virk, Dean Kimberlin (Alex Mills 83 mins), Michael Healy, Paul Green, Ryan Palmer (Ellis Layfield 46 mins).
Sub unused: Sam Odusoga
Yellow: Steve Evans (80 mins)
Red: Luke Doughty (2 yellows 74, 85 mins)
Referee: Mr J Cox (Rowley Regis)
Assistants: Mr G Warren (Bromsgrove), Mr K Tibbatts (Rubery).
Crowd: 241
Weather: Warm, dry.
Sporting Man of the Match: Sean Brain |