Sporting continued their run of good form with a convincing win over their visitors from Yardley. The Rouslers kicked off attacking the Town End and were in front after 45 seconds. Brooks made a powerful run from midfield, exchanged passes with Barnes before playing in Wilkes who was brought down inside the area. A clear penalty which Jamie Rogers converted.
Clements nearly levelled after just three minutes as the Sporting defence failed to clear a free kick into the box and McGettrick saved a shot to his left at full stretch. On four minutes Sporting doubled their lead. Zac Blood intercepted a stray pass and advanced to the by-line before sending a low centre which Odane Barnes turned in.
At this stage Sporting were playing some excellent football, moving the ball quickly and with imagination. On eleven minutes it was 3-0. Bright got in behind the Clements defence on Sporting's right flank but keeper Downes turned his shot behind for a corner which Cooksey rose unchallenged to head in.
An injured Barnes was replaced by Jordan Siviter on 20 minutes but this did not affect The Rouslers at all and shortly afterwards it was 4-0, Chris Bright following up to score after Downes failed to hold on to May's long range shot. Sporting had a second penalty on 39 minutes. This time Jamie Rogers's spot kick was saved but he followed up to score and it was 5-0 at half time.
Time for the record books to be rewritten I thought and the dreaded double figures were surely looming for a dispirited Clements team. In fact that was pretty much the end of the entertainment for the afternoon as Sporting's play lost its intensity and purpose and Clements dug in for 45 minutes of grim toil to keep the scoreline respectable. They succeeded in this and deserve credit for maintaining their shape and discipline. They had their fair share of possession without looking much like scoring. On a very cold afternoon it made a dire spectacle. Things were not helped by frequent stoppages, mainly for treatment to Downes who was clearly struggling and was eventually substituted, with defender Dave Morgan taking over between the posts.
The only addition to the score was by May on 60 minutes after intercepting a back pass and rounding the keeper. Clements continued to work diligently and had a couple of half chances, their best moment from substitute Campbell who shot over after a powerful run. Sporting finished the game with ten men, Ryan Molesworth picking up a second yellow card.
When Mr. Tibbatts blew for full time at five o'clock after nearly ten minutes of added time we headed for the exits with relief rather than jubilation. It was very, very cold.
Sporting (red/white shirts, blue shorts, red/white socks, 3-5-2): Jim McGettrick, Neil Cooksey, Gareth Rogers, Nick Allen; Chris Bright (Ryan Molesworth 60 mins), Jamie Rogers (Capt), Joe Brookes (Jamie McKeon 64 mins), Dan Wilkes, Zac Blood; Shaun May, Dane Barnes (Jordan Siviter 18 mins).
Subs not used: Nick Harris, Richard Griffiths.
Clements: Connor Downes (Paul Dutton 83 mins), Sean Hempenstall, Alex Charlton, Virgil Liburd (Ivan Smith 90 mins), Keith Rogers, Dave Morgan, Paul Haynes (Martin Campbell 60 mins), Andrew Sutherland, Daniel Charlton, Dean Sherrington, Jason Stephenson.
Substitutes not used: Rob Morgan, Thomas Loughran. |