Bromsgrove Sporting made hard work for themselves in a match they dominated for long periods, this time needing a penalty shoot-out to win the tie.
On a mild but misty evening both teams started at a cracking pace but Sporting had the edge and should have been well in front by fifteen minutes. Tony Clarke missed two sitters first firing Chris Lloyds cross wide of the right-hand post on the eighth minute then two minutes later blasting over the bar with an open goal in front of him.
Lloyd continued to be the danger man working well with returnee Joe Haines down the left wing taking advantage of the wide pitch but two pin-point crosses into the box went begging with no striker present to knock them in.
Finally a goal came on the 21st minute when Sean Brain intercepted a poor pass by Rob Orme, allowing him to move quickly forward but as Bewdley keeper Darren Steadman advanced, he chipped from just outside the box netting the popular player his 50th goal for the Club.
In search of extending their lead, Sporting continued their dominance of the game and despite good efforts by Robbie Bunn and Keenen Meakin-Richards, the scoreline remained the same until half-time.
Sporting got their second on the 59th minute when Dale Edwards tapped home from eight yards out after another excellent cross from the Lloyd came off the shins of a Bewdley defender.
Things then began to change as both teams used up their substitutes quickly and Sporting missed the subtlety of Lloyd and creativity of Bunn whilst the home side benefited from the extra pace of their replacement forwards.
Alfie Bloomer for the Rouslers had a fierce shot well-saved by Steadman on the 73rd minute but with Bewdley looking rejuvenated, they got themselves back into the match 10 minutes later with an excellent piece of work by Sam Lester who dummied past Nathan Walker and Edwards before passing to Ashley Stubbins who coolly slotted past Chris Jay between the Sporting sticks.
With their tails up, the home side realised they could salvage something out of this game and so they did with a dramatic equaliser in the second minute of added time. Luke Morris made a searing run down the right rounding Haines before slipping a neat cross to the far post for the waiting Martin who made no mistake from a few yards out.
A few seconds later Mr Brooks blew for full-time and with no extra time, the match went straight to a penalty shoot-out and historically not one of Sportings strengths. However Bloomer made the only conversion in the first six attempts and it was left to Meakin-Richards to wrap up the proceedings giving sporting a 3-2 victory on the night.
So Sporting again were guilty of failing to convert chances and letting their opponents back into a match they should have had sewn at half-time but full marks to Bewdley who deserved to equalise with dazzling play in the last 10 minutes and tactical wisdom from their experienced manager Phil Mullen.
Bewdley: Darren Steadman, Simon Rudd, Aaron Stubbins (Capt), Sam Prescot (Sam Parmenter 28 mins), Will Ward, Rob Orme, Jason Wellings (Sam Lester 68 mins), Ellis Stubbins (Luke Morris 68 mins), Callum Martin, Ashley Stubbins, Chris Seekings.
Unused substitutes: Cory Jay Rudd, Nath Drew
Scorers: Ashley Stubbins (83 mins), Callum Martin (90+2 mins)
Yellow: Jason Wellings (65 mins)
Sporting: Chris Jay (Capt), Aaron Roberts, Joe Haines, Nathan Walker, Luke Edwards, Jake Willcox, Keenen Meakin-Richards, Robbie Bunn (Craig Jones 69 mins), Tony Clarke (Alfie Bloomer 63 mins), Chris Lloyd (Brendan Kelly 80 mins), Sean Brain.
Unused substitutes: Danny Morris, Ahmed Ali.
Scorers: Sean Brain (21 mins), Luke Edwards (59 mins).
Yellows: Luke Edwards (83 mins), Brendan Kelly (84 mins)
Referee: Mr R Brooks (Kidderminster).
Assistants: Mr I Hopkins (Kidderminster), Mr J Clayton (Worcester)
Crowd: 130
Weather: Cool, misty
Sporting Man of the Match: Sean Brain
Penalty Shoot-out
Bewdley Town 0 - 0 Bromsgrove Sporting Chris Seekings hit left-hand post
Bewdley Town 0 - 0 Bromsgrove Sporting Craig Jones fired wide of right-hand post
Bewdley Town 0 - 0 Bromsgrove Sporting Chris Jay saved low from Luke Morris
Bewdley Town 0 - 1 Bromsgrove Sporting Alfie Bloomer
Bewdley Town 0 - 1 Bromsgrove Sporting Will Ward fired wide of right-hand post
Bewdley Town 0 - 1 Bromsgrove Sporting Darren Steadman saved from Nathan Walker
Bewdley Town 1 - 1 Bromsgrove Sporting Rob Orme
Bewdley Town 1 - 2 Bromsgrove Sporting Sean Brain
Bewdley Town 2 - 2 Bromsgrove Sporting Callum Martin
Bewdley Town 2 - 3 Bromsgrove Sporting Keenen Meakin-Richards |