Sporting cruised to a comfortable win over a Malvern side who fielded several reserve players and never really got into second gear.
In reality it could have been an even bigger margin had the visitors taken advantage of the number of opportunities they created but poor finishing and a decent performance between the sticks by home 'keeper Paul Larkin restricted the Bromsgrove outfit to four goals.
After having three near misses, Sporting opened their account on fourteen minutes when Zac Blood made a good run down the right and chipped in a good cross to Odane Barnes who glanced into the top right hand corner.
Ten minutes later Sporting were given an advantage when Dean Drinkwater went for an early bath after an altercation with Neil Cooksey in an off the ball incident.
Sporting's second also came from a Zac Blood cross, this time it was the Cooksey who scored, with a powerful header into the top of the net. Then just before half-time Jon Rogers had plenty of time to line up a shot after receiving a neat pass from Ryan Molesworth and hitting a low drive into the bottom corner.
After the interval, Sporting had numerous opportunities to add to the scoreline but most shots were blocked or went wide, with a couple that even Fernando Torres would have found difficult to miss. With two minutes added time on the clock, veteran striker Mark Whitehouse who had come on as a late substitute showed how it should be done when he took his time before carefully slotting home for Sporting's fourth.
So Sporting finally record an away win this season but next week sees high-flying Shirley Town at the Victoria Ground in a league match and with a better team against them Sporting really need to convert more chances in to goals.
Finally to add to the interest of a visit to Malvern, a quick search was conducted for the missing turnstile that disappeared from the Victoria Ground with the previous regime and was rumoured to have been installed at the Langland Stadium. However the only turnstiles were definitely not Bromsgrove property so the search continues.
Malvern: Paul Larkin, Dominic Portman, Tom Crump, Lee Hammond, Sam Harris, James Argent, Reece King (Anthony Smith 60 mins), Paul Amott (Lewis Churchill 72 mins), Dean Drinkwater, Justin Drinkwater (Steve Brookes 52 mins), Jamie Parkes Yellow Cards: Jamie Parkes (22 mins - verbal), Tom Crump (63 mins - late tackle), Lewis Churchill (74 mins - tackle from behind). Red Card: Dean Drinkwater (24 mins - violent conduct)
Sporting: Grant Biddle, Ryan Molesworth (Chris Bright 60 mins), Gareth Rogers, Neil Cooksey, Nick Allen, Nick Harris (Mark Whitehouse 72 mins), George Curry, Jamie Rogers (Capt), Odane Barnes, Jon Rogers (Dan Wilkes 46 mins), Zac Blood |