ALTHIUM MIDLAND COMBINATION DIVISION 1
SATURDAY 1st OCTOBER 2011
BROMSGROVE SPORTING 3 SHIRLEY TOWN 2
Two late goals gave Sporting an improbable win in a game that seemed lost. This wasn't in truth a great performance but winning without playing well is a happy knack to have, particularly against one of the Division's better teams and even more so with ten men..
The game began in sweltering heat and both teams had good early chances. Shirley play a neat passing game and had the edge in midfield. However it was Sporting who took the lead on 17 minutes, seconds after Shirley had had a vigorous appeal for a penalty turned down. Jon Rogers received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and turned quickly to lose his marker before running on to score from close range. Minutes later Odane Barnes was put through as a ball over the top caught Shirley square but shot straight at the goalkeeper. Within seconds Shirley attacked and Michael Campbell equalised with a close range shot. There were question marks here about the defending and the goalkeeping as the shot seemed to squirm under Biddle's body. Campbell was causing problems and might have scored again on 34 minutes turning and shooting just over. On 42 minutes came the game's major talking point. George Curry was the victim of a sly off the ball foul by Deeley which the referee failed to spot and exacted retribution by kicking through Deeley from behind which Mr Anfield did see and punished with a red card. The referee was roundly booed as the teams walked off at half time.
Jon Rogers was sacrificed with Zac Blood coming on so that Sporting could play two banks of four. This didn't work and Barnes, unsuited to playing a lone striker role, became a marginal figure as Shirley looked to make good the numerical advantage. After 58 minutes they took the lead, Deeley scoring after a goalmouth scramble following a corner that Sporting had failed to clear. Sporting promptly switched to three at the back, Nick Harris going into midfield with Wilkes pushed up o be closer to Barnes. Sporting immediately looked more threatening and Barnes squandered two good chances to level.
After the second chance the game slowed down as the heat sapped players' energy and Shirley reasserted their dominance with neat possession football. The coach made a further change ten minutes from time, bringing on debutant Rob Hendry for Jamie Rogers and it did the trick. After 85 minutes Chris Bright crossed from the right and Hendry scored with a spectacular diving header. Sporting now pressed for the winner and, on 90 minutes were awarded a penalty for a foul on Barnes which Joe Brookes converted.
Not a great performance overall. I felt Sporting's first half play was scrappy and they gave the ball away too often. But for character and determination the second half performance would be hard to beat. The real puzzle is the discrepancy between home and away form. Of Sporting's eighteen points, sixteen have been won at the Victoria Ground. It is not just that Sporting play better at home but that they are able, like today, to win without being anywhere near their best. Sort out the away form and we can make an impression in this League. Tally Ho next week wouldn't be a bad place to start.
Sporting. Biddle, Bright, Harris, Allen, Brookes, Curry, Molesworth, Jamie Rogers (Hendry 79), Barnes, Jon Rogers (Blood HT), Wilkes
Subs Not Used: Griffiths, Neilson, Whitehouse
Yellow Cards: Allen
Red Card: Curry
Shirley Town: Sanders, Blackwood (Flanagan 72), Redden, Keane, Richard Dugmore, Deeley, Luke Dugmore (Glaze HT), Dunkley, Campbell, Reid (Farrell 61),Longthorne
Subs Not Used: Strickley, Clowes
Yellow Cards: Campbell, Dunkley,Keane
Referee Mr D Anfield
Attendance 244
Rouslers Man of the Match: Stewart Brighton. This match was won from the bench with tactical flexibility and good use of substitutes. |