Although little should be read into pre-season friendlies and particularly as this match was played on a 4G (artificial) surface, this was a fine performance by Sporting who dominated the match for the pretty much the whole 90 minutes and looked good in all departments.
The line-up for the first half had a familiar look to it, featuring players continuing from the previous season though including returnee Chrisi Conway partnering Sean Brain up front.
With a surface favouring those with good skills and the ability to control the ball on a hard flat surface, it was not long before Sporting had their noses in from when Sean Brain slotted home from 12 yards after the home side failed to clear. Sam Wills made it two on 26 minutes after being supplied by Conway, and then Brain got the third on 32 minutes with Conway again assisting.
The home side then got their act together and managed to push further into the Rouslers' half with one good effort that went just over the bar and another that forced Chris Jay into a good save. Their defensive efforts kept the scoreline intact to the end of the half.
After the interval, Sporting made virtually a complete team change giving most of the new recruits an attempt to impress manager Paul Smith. And impress they did. Conway put away number four after a goalmouth scramble before he himslef was substituted.
The lively Chris Lloyd scored the fifth from the spot after being upended in the box then Aaron Roberts made the best strike of the afternoon lobbing the Stratford 'keeper from 35 yards though to be fair a swirling wind may have assisted.
Lewis Kemp put away number seven from close range then Lloyd again scored with a good solo effort rounding a couple of defenders. Dayle Kenny got on to the scoresheet late on with an angled shot while Keenan Meakin-Richards had the last say and Sporting's 10th with a well-taken free-kick from the edge of the box.
Sporting will have more difficult matches than this but it was a useful work-out in a competitive match. Stratford to be fair kept running but there looked to be a lot of tired legs as the second half went on.
Another practice match against the much-improved Droitwich Town at The King George Playing Fields beckons next Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. kick-off.
Sporting first half: Chris Jay, Will Tibbetts, Jack Wilson, Craig Jones, Lucky Nwosu, Jake Willcox, Dean Fisher, Sam Wills, Luke Dugmore, Chrisi Conway, Sean Brain.
Sporting second half: Chris Jay, Aaron Roberts, Craig Jones, Luke Edwards, Joe Haines, Dayle Kenny, Keenan Meakin-Richards, Danny Ludlow, Ross Kemp, Chris Lloyd.
Scorers: Sean Brain (4, 32 mins), Sam Wills (26 mins), Chrisi Conway (50 mins), Chris Lloyd (65 [pen], 85 mins), Aaron Roberts (72 mins), Ross Kemp (78 mins), Dayle Kenny (87 mins), Keenan Meakin-Richards 89 mins)
Weather: Warm, windy
Crowd: ~50
Reporter: Phil Baker
