The Athium Midland Football Combination Division 1 Wednesday 17th August 2011
FC Glades 1 (1) v (1) 1 Bromsgrove Sporting
Bromsgrove Sporting may look to being on the wrong end of possibly the worst refereeing decision they will fall victim to all season but to be honest, failure in front of goal is the real reason they failed to return from their visit to FC Glades with three points.
This game was Sporting's first early evening kick off of the season and Stewart Brighton's team selection was disturbed by the late arrival of Odane Barnes and Danny Lismore who had to be replaced by Ryan Molesworth and Chris Bright.
On a bumpy pitch Sporting's passing game wasn't suited by the conditions and they took a while to get started in the game. Unfortunately, the conditions and a bizarre refereeing display from Mr Murray resulted in a poor game although Sporting created a number of chances they failed to exploit in both periods.
They did go ahead as a lively Ryan Molesworth was fouled around 30 yards from goal and Joe Brookes flighted a great free kick into the box for Neil Cooksey to rise and head into the net over the despairing keeper.
Unfortunately, Sporting then contrived to gift an equaliser to the home side as a harmless looking cross was allowed to sail over the head of central defender Keight and was slotted home at the back post.
By half-time the referee had turned down a cast iron penalty appeal for each side and set the pattern for his strange reluctance to decide anything in the final third of the field. Half-time was reached at 1 - 1 and gave Stewart Brighton the opportunity to replace the unlucky Molesworth with Odane Barnes. Molesworth had two clear chances to give Sporting the lead but was unable to beat the keeper on either occasion but he did look lively even though he had been assigned to play out of position as a central striker.
The second half was much like the first with Sporting continuing to create the best chances only to spurn them with some poor shooting. Barnes, Rogers and Hall all shot straight at the keeper when well placed and Dan Wilkes created a series of opportunities down the left side without being able to lay one on a plate or take one himself.
The referee then started to lose control of proceedings as the Glades number 11 was only booked for a two footed challenge that resulted in Chris Bright sustaining an injury above the knee which meant he was unable to continue. A worse tackle would be hard to find but yellow it was and Glades continued with a full side. This set a pattern for a period of ribust challenges which mostly went unpunished by the referee.
Still Sporting continued to carve out and miss chances until the final minute when substitute Lismore was felled in the box under a challenge that everyone, including the Glades team and officials, believed was a penalty, only to find Mr Murray wave play on.
Sporting can look on this as their first away point gained but they will need to find a cutting edge in front of goal if they are to prosper in this division.
Bromsgrove Sporting : Biddle, Bright (Lismore 64), Wilkes, Cooksey, Griffiths, Keight, Curry, Rogers Jamie, Molesworth (Barnes 46), Hall (Whitehouse 80), Brookes.
Subs unused : Allen, Blood.
FC Glades Sporting : Burkett, Struthers, O'Connor, Jackson, Homer, Williams (Michael 55), Savin, Nevin, O'Neill (Walker 60), Cambell, Barnett (Greaves 75).
Subs unused : Wilson, Best.
Sporting Man of the Match - Dan Wilkes
