The Pitching-In Southern League Premier Division Central, Saturday 11th February 2023, 3:00 p.m. kick-off
Basford United 1 (0) Bromsgrove Sporting 1 (1) at Greenwich Avenue
Although the scoreline for this match looks to be fairly nondescript, in reality it was a very entertaining and fast-moving game with two well-matched teams where the result could have gone either way.
Sporting dominated the first half-hour and were unlucky not to score. Basford worked their way into the match taking the lead early in the second half with Sporting getting a deserved equaliser in added time.
Playing on an artificial pitch under a grey sky, the visitors from Bromsgrove started much stronger with Brandon Smalley in particular testing Basford 'keeper Kieran Preston several times within the first twenty minutes.
As the half went on, the home side pressed forward making good use of their experienced striker and captain Greg Smith where his presence in the box was keeping Sporting's defence occupied particularly on the 36th minute when he forced Rouslers' 'keeper Ollie Taylor into a good save with a well-placed header.
However, neither side could gain enough advantage to get on to the score sheet and so the teams went in goalless at half-time.
The beginning of the second-half certainly belonged to Basford who successfully forced a build-up in the pace of the game and more assertive play. And it worked well for them on the 56th minute when Courey Grantham floated over a good cross from the left to Smith at the far post; he headed back to his fellow striker Kameron Campbell at the other post who had the simplest of headers into an empty net to give his side the lead.
Midway through the half, Miro Pais and Ayo Lekuti, who had been playing well up front, gave way to Jack Tolley and debutant Nathan Kebeya in the hope of changing the dynamic and opening up the opposition defence and it nearly worked straight away with Tolley shooting wide with his first touch a couple of minutes later.
Sporting by now were more than equal to their opponents making good use of Kebeya on the right and Ammar Dyer on the left to get balls into the box from the wings. In addition, Basford were giving away a number free-kicks and really Sporting were unlucky not to have converted from the resulting set pieces, one of which was taken by Smalley in the 78th minute to Jack Newell who narrowly headed over the bar.
At 90 minutes, referee Mr Bacon added four minutes of added time and at that point Kartell Dawkins who was playing superbly in a sweeper role, broke down a Basford attack just outside his own penalty area and sent a long ball up field over the home midfield to Tolley who dummied full-back Owen Betts before lobbing Preston to level up the proceeding. The drama though was not over as Basford came close to getting the winner two minutes later but Smith's shot fortuitously for The Rouslers thundered against the left-hand upright.
Shortly after Mr Bacon blew for full-time giving rise to cheers from the away fans who were happy with the draw but with a fair wind felt that Sporting could have gained the three points.
Sporting line-up: Ollie Taylor, Jack Newell, Kartell Dawkins, Joe Curtis (Callum King-Harmes 78 mins), Tom Taylor (Capt), Mike McGrath, Ammar Dyer, Mo Njie, Miro Pais (Jack Tolley 64 mins), Brandon Smalley, Ayo Lekuti (Nathan Kebeya 64 mins). Unused substitutes: Lewis Wright, Blake Kindred.
Referee: Mr M Bacon
Crowd: 308
Sporting Man of the Match: Kartell Dawkins
