A disappointing end to the league fixtures for Sporting who looked to have ran out of steam with just 90 minutes of football remaining.
Manager Paul Smith fielded quite a strong side though again no out-and-out strikers. The TSA ground is not an easy pitch to play on, sloping quickly in one corner and although plenty of grass the surface was quite uneven.
Cadbury, who hire the facilities from Pilkington, got off to the stronger start an could have taken the lead as early as the eighth minute when there was a rare misunderstanding between 'keeper Chris Jay and captain Craig Jones but Dean Lea failed to capitalise and his interception went wide. Then on 21 minutes, Joel Powell beat the offside trap and with just Jay to beat slipped on the damp surface before getting his shot in.
However they did get on to the score sheet 10 minutes later with a free kick into the box that went from Lea to Jak Walton then Powell who tapped home.
Sporting came with a whisker of getting the equaliser on the 38th minutes when keeper Shaun Hayes punched a corner on to his own bar but right back Deon Colstock quickly cleared.
Just before half time the home side doubled their advantage when former Rousler Odane Barnes shot was parried by Jay but only to Tom Brain who made no mistake from close range.
After the interval Sporting spend most of the time in their opponents half pumping ball after ball into the box but Cadbury's well-organised and physical defence mopped up everything thrown at them. Indeed Sporting only had a couple of chances whist hardly surprising the home side sat on heir lead and only rarely broke in the Bromsgrove half.
So the end of the league campaign sees Sporting in second place for the third time in a row. However there was no disagreement that Coventry united were worthy champions. Roll on 2016/7!
Cadbury: Shaun Hayes, Deon Colstock, Brett Lloyd (Shaun Hunter 28 mins), Jak Walton, Stuart Cooke, Tom Brain, Joel Powell (Sam Griffin 77 mins), Andrew Cooper, Odane Barnes (Jevaughni Robinson 90 mins), Dean Lea (Capt.), Ryan Spink.
Substitutes not used: Ryan Gittings, Fraser Oliver (GK)
Goals: Cooke (31 mins), Brain (44 mins).
Yellows: Powell (55 mins), Colstock (89 mins), Lea (47 mins)
Sporting: Chris Jay, Aaron Roberts, Brendan Kelly (Will Tibbetts 46 mins), Luke Dugmore, Craig Jones (Capt), Jake Willcox, Lima Spink, Nathan Walker, Sean Brain (Dean Fisher 46 mins), Sam Wills, Josh Westwood (Lewis Kemp 46 mins)
Substitutes not used: Simon Fitter, Jack Wilson
Yellows: Roberts (55 mins), Dugmore (88 mins), Willcox (90+1 mins)
Referee: Mr A Ellis (Shirley)
Assistants: Mr A Clarke (Kings Heath), Mr T Palmer (Droitwich)
Crowd: ~ 185
Weather: Cool, showers.
Sporting MoM: Luke Dugmore
Report: Phil Baker |