Bromsgrove Sporting welcomed Racing Club Warwick to the Victoria Ground on New Year’s Eve, one of two home fixtures for the Rouslers over the Bank Holiday writes Ben Fox. RCW (Racing Club Warwick) sitting 5th in the league were looking to put an end to Bromsgrove’s 17 game unbeaten league run, after their 15-0 rioting against Southam United on Boxing Day.
Warwick showed their attacking threat on the 8th minute when Jamie Smith used his blistering pace to evade the challenge of several Sporting players before releasing powerful shot straight at Sporting ‘keeper Chris Jay, Jay couldn’t hold the shot however and produced a fine reaction save to deny Wade Malley on the rebound.
Sporting soon kicked themselves into gear as Reece Hewitt was released down the left-wing before drawing a foul in the penalty area after a darting run into the box. Up stepped Liam Spink who calmly opened the scoring from the penalty spot, in the 8th minute, firing low into the bottom right corner. Unfortunately for the large majority of the 788 inside the Victoria Ground, RCW were level by the 24th minute as again Smith’s pace caught out Bromsgrove, and his square ball found the feet of Malley, who stroked home from close range.
Bromsgrove were the better team overall in the first half but went into the break at 1-1 after missing a few decent half chances in and around the penalty area. The 2nd half started badly for Sporting as Jay injured himself taking a goal kick, unable to continue and with no goalkeeper on the bench, Aaron Roberts stepped up to go between the sticks for the remaining 40 minutes.
The Rouslers were pushing for the winner with lots of pressure on the RCW back line, with Edward Caviezel-Cox making a number of fine saves to deny Jason Cowley and Robbie Bunn. At the other end, Roberts was called into action on the hour mark getting down low to block Malley’s effort with his legs.
Bromsgrove kept pushing right to the end when right at the death, everyone inside the ground thought skipper Craig Jones had headed his side to a well-deserved victory from a corner but a stupendous save from Caviezel-Cox tipped it onto the bar seconds before the full time whistle blew.
Racing Club Warwick defended valiantly towards the end and nicked a point off the home side who did enough to win the game, except score the winning goal.
Sporting: Chris Jay (Keenen Meakin-Richards 59 mins), Aaron Roberts, Joe Haines, Liam Spink, Craig Jones (Capt.), Danny Morris, Will Tibbetts (Chris Lloyd 78 mins), Robbie Bunn, Jason Cowley, Luke Shorthouse (Andy Nicol 68 mins), Reece Hewitt.
Unused substitutes: Jack Wilson, Luke Edwards.
Goal: Liam Spink (13 mins, penalty)
Yellows: Luke Shorthouse (47 mins), Jason Cowley (49 mins)
Warwick: Edward Caviezel-Cox, Lucky Nwosu, Jamie Vadasz, Martin Slevin, Martin Hutchcox, Ashley Buswell, Jake Brown (Mark Turton 89 mins), Alex Price, Wade Malley, Joe Wright, Jamie Smith (Zak Harbon 73 mins).
Substitutes not used: Abdulhammid Chouchane, Jordan Evans, Luke Bennam
Goal: Wade Malley (24 mins)
Yellows: Jamie Vadasz (67 mins), Wade Malley (83 mins), Joe Wright (90+5 mins), Ashley Buswell (90+6 mins)
Referee: Mr R Cutts (Birdingley, Warwickshire)
Assistants: Mr R Pryce (Hagley), Mr M Pimley (Bromsgrove)
Crowd: 788
Weather: Mild, foggy.
Sporting Man of the Match: Aaron Roberts.
Reporter: Ben Fox.
