Skilful, ruthless, outstanding. Just some of the descriptions of Bromsgrove Sporting's performance away against Alvis Sporting last Tuesday. The Rouslers ran out comfortable 4-0 winners that could have been more had it not been for the woodwork and some fine goalkeeping by Jack Hartropp.
On a mild and slightly gusty evening at Southam United's ground in Warwickshire, there was little to note in the first 20 minutes. Sporting had the bulk of the possession but to be fair to Alvis mopped up any incursions in the last third of the field.
However Sporting's dominance and pace paid dividends on the 21st minute when Simon Fitter and Chris Duggan combined to send Will Tibbetts racing up field. He passed to Aaron Daniels with 20 yards to go and the nimble striker rounded left-back Oliver Basham and keeper Jack Hartropp before firing low into the corner of the net.
Two minutes later the impressive and lively Sean Brain hit the post after being supplied by Ryan Mahon.
Sporting's search for a second goal nearly came to fruition on the 29th minute when Brain again fired an angled shot but this time Hartropp saw the danger and dived low to save. Two minutes after that the same striker became the supplier to Will Tibbetts whose shot from 20 yards out bounced off the top of the bar.
Reece Hewitt was showing a lot of skill both in midfield and in the penalty area and he was unlucky not to score whilst searching for and finding a gap in the away defence but he put his shot just over the bar.
Tibbetts got a knock in the first half and gave way to Danny Lennon after the interval and he looked determined to make his mark after a 5-week lay-off with an injury of his own, indeed to he was involved in pretty well all of the Sporting action up front for much of the second half.
The Bromsgrove outfit got their second on 66 minutes courtesy of a Reece Hewitt pile-driver into the top right-hand corner of the net from 20 yards out, then the third came 10 minutes later when the unlucky Hartropp failed to hold on to Aaron Daniel's drive and substitute Charlie Wilson stepped up to knock the rebound into the net.
With a reasonable cushion, Sporting could now relax and relied more on patient build-ups and keeping possession rather than fast moves up field.
Chances became fewer as a result but there was still enough time to get one more in the 86th minute. Alvis conceded a corner that was taken by Ryan Mahon; he played a short ball the Lennon whose flighted shot went over the defence and into the middle of the net.
Each team had one more shot before referee Mr Brown decided to wrap things up with 3 added minutes on the clock.
So a comprehensive win by Sporting but don't just look at the attack and goals scored, look at the defence. For much of the game, Sporting keeper Jake Bedford was so well protected that he had little to do and the only save that presented a challenge came in the 90th minute. Not only was the back line well-organised, most of the attacks started life with the two full-backs Chris Duggan and Chris Sockett. Add to that some fast and accurate passing to counter Alvis's attempt to close them down and that was why this was a good performance by Sporting and not just the four goals scored.
Alvis: Jack Hartropp, Jordan Hiscox (Dexter Robinson 60 mins), Oliver Basham, Stephen Evans (Capt.), Aaron Cheshire, Paulo Razza, Ellis Layfield, Dean Kimberlin, Ross Knight (Alex Mills 60 mins), Lewis Ludford, Anthony Hatton.
Unused substitutes: Michael Healy, Ryan Palmer.
Sporting: Jake Bedford, Chris Duggan, Chris Sockett, Simon Fitter (Capt.), Craig Jones, Lewis Clarke (Charlie Wilson 68 mins), Ryan Mahon, Will Tibbetts (Danny Lennon 46 mins), Sean Brain, Aaron Daniels (Jozsef Jakab 75 mins), Reece Hewitt.
Unused substitutes: Peter Christmas, Sam Wills.
Goal scorers: Daniels (21 mins), Hewitt (66 mins), Wilson (76 mins), Lennon (87 mins)
Referee: Mr M Brown (Coventry)
Assistants: Mr K Cox (Coventry), Mr A Cox (Coventry)
Attendance: 83
Weather: Mild, damp.
Sporting Man of the Match: Sean Brain |