The Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central, Saturday 18th November 2023, 3:00 p.m. kick-off
Barwell 2 (1) Bromsgrove Sporting 1 (1) at The The UK Flooring Direct Stadium
Another frustrating afternoon for Bromsgrove Sporting last Saturday as they went down 2-1 to Barwell after playing some good football and shading their opponents for large portions of the match.
The game was played after a turbulent week for The Rouslers that saw the chairman Brian Seymour-Smith and his two business associates Craig Cotterill and Paul Molesworth walk out of the club for reasons that have yet to be fully explained.
However, the football had to go on and Sporting had a dream start when Conor Tee scored another superlative goal with just two minutes on the clock.
Full-back, Aksum White sent a neat pass down the right flank to Kobe Hall, making his first start for the club, and after a couple of dummies laid off to Tee who curled in his magnificent effort over the head of home keeper, Harry Griffiths from just over 25 yards out.
After the goal, Barwell took more control of the game with striker Dan Holman in particular, making a nuisance of himself in the away penalty area. Sporting though started to come back into the match with both Tee and Ball having decent efforts.
However slightly against the run of play, Barwell got the equaliser on the 27th minute after The Rouslers conceded a free-kick just outside the penalty area. This was a well-worked move that saw Kobe Chong float the ball into the box; this was glanced on by Tom Cursons to the far side where Brady Hickey had a free header into the Sporting net.
Five minutes later the lively and skilful Beck Enoru playing right-wing for the Canaries appealed for a penalty after a tackle by David Solademi but to the relief of the travelling Bromsgrove supporters, referee Mr England waved play on.
On 39 minutes though the dynamic of the game changed enormously for Sporting when Tee took a full-blooded blow in his face from the ball and had to be escorted from the pitch clearly looking concussed. Kartell Dawkins came on as a more than adequate substitute, for his first appearance since returning to the Victoria Ground but really Sporting did not really want to lose the in-form Tee.
There was no further change to the scoreline though Hall did have a good effort that went marginally wide just before half-time.
Thirteen minutes after the interval there was a further blow for the away side as useful full-back Ben O'Hanlon made a clumsy tackle on Enoru earning himself a second yellow card so off he went for an early shower.
Sporting though coped well with ten men on the pitch giving Barwell few opportunities to take the lead and even looking like scoring themselves on a couple of occasions. However there was further misfortune for the Bromsgrove outfit when Aksum White got a caution, his sixth of the season so he will have to serve a one-match ban. White also had a hand in the final drama of the match when he tackled Cursons just inside the box. The striker looked to have done down too easily but Mr England duly pointed to the spot. Cursons converted the penalty sending Ollie Taylor in goal for the Rouslers the wrong way.
And so the scoreline remained as a victory for the home side. They celebrated but really but for bad luck and poor discipline, Sporting could have taken all three points.
Sporting line-up: Ollie Taylor, Aksum White, Ben O'Hanlon, Luke Rowe, Aaron Roberts, David Solademi, Callum King-Harmes, Keanu Cooper, Kobe Hall (Miro Pais, 75 mins), Conor Tee (Kartell Dawkins 38 mins), Samson Hewett (Ayo Lekuti 60 mins). Unused substitutes: Elliott Ball, Jack Newell.
Sporting Player of the Match: Callum King-Harmes
Attendance: 347
Referee: Mr D England
Report: Phil Baker
