West welcomed Midland League side Bromsgrove Sporting to Brookburn Road on a Sunny afternoon in Chorlton. Manager Steve Settle, looking to his first game in a fortnights time, tried to name his strongest side but was hit by injury to Richmond Botchey in the warm up with Rick Gleave replacing him in the starting line-up.
On three minutes West created the game's first chance as captain Mark Rogers was allowed to advance with the ball through midfield and unleashed a shot which thudded off the crossbar. Two minutes later young Ben Steer rose highest to a Lewis Schofield cross and cannoned his header off the inside of the Bromsgrove post.
The game continued at a terrific pace and the visitors should have taken the lead on 16 minutes when a long ball over the top reached the Sporting winger, he raced to the by-line and pulled back a low cross to the Sporting striker who from a yard out, with the goal at his mercy, struck the cross bar. The tempo failed to relent and on 22 minutes a Tommy Walsh header flicked on a long ball through to Steer, the striker fired first time from 25 yards, a low bouncing effort, forcing the Sporting goalkeeper into a difficult save. West were forced into an early change as Michael Simcock was forced off with a groin injury and Head Coach Steve Brockley took his place at left back.
Bromsgrove went close again on 26 minutes when West goalkeeper Saul dropped a cross, it fell straight to a Sporting forward and only a brilliant block from Anthony Potts on the line prevented the visitors from taking the lead. Chances continued to be created at either end with Schofield firing a low shot wide after cutting in from the left and rolling a shot low past the post.
Bromsgrove then had a great chance to take the lead as a ball over the top found the Bromsgrove stirker who brought it down with a brilliant first touch and fired his shot just wide. Despite the both sides creating numerous chances neither goalkeeper was tested and the sides went into the half level.
West kicked off the second unchanged but they took the lead just a minute after the restart as a cross from the right by Jordan Poole found Mark Rogers in the middle whose header looped over the Sporting goalkeeper and into the roof of the net.
West rang the changes with Sam Mitten and Jamie Waldon replacing Walsh and Steer. Waldon had an instant impact as he raced through the middle but fired his low shot just wide. West continued to make changes with Newbrook replacing Saul in goal and Settle replacing Schofield with Sporting also making changes with the tempo finally relenting ever so slightly.
West finally doubled their lead 11 minutes from time when Scott Mason curled a free kick from 30 yards, the Sporting goalkeeper tipped it onto the bar but Sam Mitten was ready to pounce and tapped in the rebound. However their two goal advantage lasted just five minutes as Sporting fired themselves back into the game when a cross curled into the far post was headed back across goal and the Bromsgrove striker fired home from 2 yards.
From the re-start Sam Mitten could have wrapped the game up as he latched onto an under hit back pass, raced into the penalty area, tried to sell the goalkeeper but could only tamely fire it into the goalkeepers shins for a corner. From the corner Mitten was denied again as it was played short to Brockley, he raced to the by-line and chipped the ball across to Mitten whose first time flick was brilliantly cleared off the line by a superb Bromsgrove header.
There was still time for one last Bromsgrove attack but West claimed the win in a thrilling game of football where both sides tried to play in the right spirit in which the game was arranged. |