The last home game of the season for Bromsgrove Sporting saw them host Stratford town in an all-important survival game for the hosts.
With Sporting being in better current form over the last 5 games, the stage was set for a good game of football.
Sporting started the better of the two teams with stand-out player Josh Dugmore providing an outstanding ball for Barnes-Homer who unfortunately couldn’t quite get it on his head.
Shortly after Stratford created some danger in the box however Jordan Goddard, who has recently returned from injury, cleared away.
Sporting continued their energetic start with a few chances in quick succession Callum Ebanks cross found Joe Willis whose shot went wide.
Then again Ebanks placed a great ball into the box, however this time was cleared by Jordan Williams. Dugmore on the attack again provided a ball into the box for Ebanks, his header goes wide.
In the 25th minute Barnes-Homer was brought down in the box and Sporting were awarded a penalty which Barnes-Homer then slotted away comfortably.
An unfortunate injury to an in-from Callum Ebanks forced him off in the 36th minute and shortly after Stratford town equalise through Denness-Barrett.
Another penalty shout for Sporting in the 44th minute as Jordan Goddard taken down in the box, the ref waved this shout away and Stratford went straight on the counter, their shot went over the bar.
A pretty quiet second half for both teams, however Sporting creating most of the chances alongside a few comfortable saves from Ollie Taylor.
Nathan Hayward, who was the winner of the fans player of the year, was taken off injured towards the end of the second half. A list of injuries for Sporting seems to be ever increasing ahead of their last game of the season at Hitchin Town.
From the Stratford Town Website:
Match summary by Woody
Bromsgrove Sporting: 1
27 Matthew Barnes-Homer
STRATFORD TOWN: 1
37 Brennan Denness-Barrett
Half time: 1-1
Attendance 807
Saturday 18th April 2022
KO 3pm
Victoria Ground
Pitching In Southern League Central
YOUNG BARDS SHARE THE POINTS AT BROMSGROVE
Bromsgrove Sporting
Taylor, Dugmore, Quaynor, Hayward, McGrath, Kettle, Willis, Raison, Barnes-Homer, Ebanks, Goddard.
Subs: Letford, Marusiak, Candlin, Perkins, Molyneux.
STRATFORD TOWN
O'Brien, Field, Aisthorpe, Oulton, Higginson, Williams, Lafferty, Sammons, Wilson, Grocott, Denness-Barrett.
Subs: Vann, Beresford, Okoro, Collins, James.
As the Bards faithful turned up at the Victoria Ground there was concern regarding the number of fit players. Also the pitch surface wasn’t for the faint hearted and looked very dry and uneven on the Bromsgrove slope.
Jack Turner was still struggling with a knee problem and Dann Vann was named on the bench although he was also struggling with a knee injury.
Added to this, Jimmy Fry arrived in a sling as he fractured his elbow in the early stages of the game on Saturday and Jack Storer was unavailable due to being withdrawn with a hamstring problem on Saturday. Added to this Will Dawes also had a sore hamstring and he was confined to the stand.
In the end the line up was similar to that fielded at Royston a few weeks earlier with Paul Field and Bailly Aisthorpe again at full backs. Higginson came in at centre half alongside Williams. In a midfield four, Oulton joined regulars Grocott, Sammons and Lafferty. Up front Brennan Denness Barrett started alongside Lewis Wilson. And Award winner Liam O’Brien was in goal.
This was the first league meeting at the Victoria Ground between the two clubs according to the Bromsgrove website.
With so many changes in key positions the Bards young side exceeded expectations with an enthusiast display in front of more than 800 fans.
The opening goal of the game on 27 minutes from yet another penalty - the third in three game given away by The Bards but not before O’Brien had made an excellent save on 20 minutes from a close range header.
Stratford’s reply came ten minutes later. Brennan Denness Barrett’s debut goal resulted from a short corner. Grocott fed Lafferty who drove into the box committing defenders and then pulled the ball back for the Bard forward to drive the ball into the roof of the net.
At the break honours even seemed about right.
The opening exchanges of the second half were rather drab as neither side appeared to want to fully commit but as the half progressed the game began to open up again.
Lewis Wilson put in a tireless performance up front with little reward for his efforts on the tricky surface but Grocott was able to link up with Lafferty to create another chance for Denness Barrett which was well saved by Taylor.
In the closing stages of the game, Bards gave away a number of free kicks around the edge of the box to make it a nervy ending. From the last of the kicks the ball hit the post to the dismay of the large home contingent behind the goal.
In the closing stages another Academy player Jack Collins made his debut after impressing for the Reserves last week.
Both sides appeared happy with points shared at the final whistle, with Bromsgrove now safe from relegation and Bards putting an end to a losing streak.
