Bromsgrove Sporting put in a dominant performance to put visitors Heather St Johns to bed on Tuesday. Several chances went begging in the first half for Sporting before Jason Cowley converted a penalty moments before half time. Goals from Bunn, Cowley and a brace from substitute Luke Shorthouse reflected a rampant second half performance for the Rouslers writes Ben Fox.
Sporting started the better of the two sides and went close as fan favourite Aaron Roberts glanced his header wide from a corner. In-form Jason Cowley looked destined to find the net as Reece Hewitt pulled the ball back for him, but the striker saw his header strafe over the bar with the net at his mercy.
Unlike recent teams visiting the Victoria Ground, Heather opted to try and play football. The in particularly lively Michael Gyasi keeping the Sporting defence on their toes. Just before the half time whistle, Hewitt was deemed as fouled in the box by referee Mr Wainman and Cowley lashed home from the spot to give Bromsgrove a 1-0 lead.
After the break, Heather had a short spell where they pushed forward but didn’t quite manage to have a shot on goal. Mitchell Woodbine was stopped in his tracks by Daniel Morris as he looked to get into a 1 on 1 position with Jon Brown in the Sporting goal.
On the hour mark Bunn found himself only having Heather keeper’ Ben Allsop to beat, but an excellent save from the captain kept the score at only 1-0. 13 minutes later and substitute Luke Shorthouse found himself in a position that he was dreaming of. The ball presented itself perfectly to him 6 yards out and he made no mistake slamming the ball home to send the Shed End into applause for him breaking his duck.
Cowley added a third on 76 minutes as he sent a low-drilled drive into the far corner after Jack Wilson’s run got the Rouslers up into the final third. Bromsgrove, as in recent games really got into the driving seat in the final 20 minutes, and after 80 mins Bunn leathered the ball into the roof of the net to give Sporting a fourth.
The rampage continued moments later when Shorthouse again, filled with confidence, completed his 1 on 1 opportunity perfectly and tucked the ball into the net as he fired past Allsop.
Another game chalked off for Bromsgrove as they extended their unbeaten run in the league and another three points on offer with the visit of relegation battlers Pelsall Villa on Saturday.
Sporting Man of the Match: Danny Morris.
Rouslers go Nap
By Phil Owen
The Saints matched the league front runners for 75 minutes but succumbed to the superior attack. The Saints matched the league front runners for 75 minutes but succumbed to the superior attack of the Rouslers, Heather defended well and were unlucky to one down at the break, a 45 minute debatable penalty decision which was converted by Cowley. Although the Saints frustrated the home side in front of goal they rarely troubled the hosts keeper and a certain amount of inevitability for further goals came at 73 mins by Edwards, 77 Cowley, 83 Burns and completed by Shorthouse 84.
Manager Stephen Rigby added Levi Dawson to the back four, and into mid field Ross Clark, joined by Michael Clark on the bench, the three making sufficient contributions to the side and welcomed back Leon Wellor.
The first goal mouth action came after 8 minutes when the hosts scrapped Ben Alsopps post following a corner, then Callum Rudd made a crucial intervention to keep the scores level.
Ross Clarke for the Saints was spraying several quality balls and one to Shane Smith who in charging forward was thwarted on his way to goal, at the other end Rudd helped his keeper out by booting clear on the line following a Jason Cowley shot, shortly before the break Cowley shaved Allsops upright.
Following minimum contact by Dawson in the visitor’s box on Cowley the referee adjudged enough to warrant a spot kick, which up jumped Cowley to send Allsop the wrong way to separate the teams at the break.
BS FC 1-0 HSJ
Shortly after the restart Smith set up Michael Gyasi whose effort brought Jon Brown in the home goal into action. The Rouslers doubled their advantage after 73 minutes courtesy of Luke Edwards who picked up a half cleared ball. Allsop made 2 excellent saves before goal number 3, Cowley getting his brace 4 minutes later.
The hosts capitised on rare slack defending Robin Burn running onto a upfront punt to slot home for number 4, the scoring completed by sub Shorthouse with the clock ticking down.
The Saints continue in the league this coming Saturday 1st April away to Chelmsley Town and travel to Aylaston ground Tuesday 4th for their Leicester Senior County Cup 7.30 kick off, hopefully to progress to join Leicester Road in the Final.
Final Score BS FC 5-0 HSJ FC
