A scintillating first half display from Bromsgrove Sporting ensured they beat Bedworth United 5-0 in the First Round of the Southern League Cup.
So impressive were the opening 45 minutes that all five goals were scored inside it; Shaquille McDonald and Nathan Hayward got on the scoresheet, plus a 16 minute hat-trick for new signing Mikey Taylor, who was making his first start for the Rouslers.
A high tempo start from Sporting was rewarded with the opener 18 minutes in, as McDonald latched onto a long ball from Tom Rankin, before poking at a one on one that ex-Bromsgrove keeper Dan Crane initially kept out.
However, he was unable to stop him having a second bite of the cherry, as he managed to tap into a relatively empty net whilst sitting on the grass, after appearing to be fouled in the box.
Taylor's first goal for Sporting came five minutes later, as Charlie Dowd executed some dazzling skill to battle past a couple of challenges, allowing him to set up the ex-Stourbridge frontman, who slotted effortlessly through Crane's legs.
The 27th minute saw the third; McDonald found Quaynor cleverly from out wide. He subsequently beat his man and passed to Hayward, who took a couple of touches before dispatching into the bottom corner with a left footed drive.
It was four 36 minutes in, courtesy of some impressive solo play from Taylor. He showed raw strength to bully his way past multiple defenders, leading to himself being one on one with Crane - the outcome being the ball bustling the back of the net.
The fifth came six minutes before the half time whistle; Taylor beautifully found Hayward with a backheel, he completed the one-two with Taylor in the box, which he completed by rolling the ball into an empty goal.
With the game already won in the first half, the play after the interval somewhat unsurprisingly lacked the pace and ferocity of that seen beforehand.
Taylor and substitute Richard Gregory both drew fine saves from Crane with venomous efforts, whilst Bedworth had chances to get themselves on the scoresheet, as Jared Bradshaw had a shot blocked away, before Lewis Chester produced a neat effort via a curled lob that beat replacement keeper Jono Brown but could only find the crossbar.
It should have been six with eight minutes remaining, as Hayward put a corking ball into the box that an unmarked Dowd could only volley over the upright. |