A dramatic evening at Five Acres as Sporting claimed a place in the Worcestershire Senior Urn final by the odd goal in eleven scored.
In truth the pitch played a significant part, as it was soft round the edges and quite wet in the middle but it was playable and full marks to the Littleton groundsman for ensuring that the game went ahead.
The home side were the first in action as a long pass out of defence upfield and over the top of the Sporting defence found Will Gayton who raced into the box placing a well-taken shot wide of Sporting 'keeper Chris Jay. Nathan Walker forced a good save from the Littleton stopper Haydn Whitcombe from a free kick on the 14th minute but the Sporting equaliser came a minute later when Kyle Turner pounced on a short pass, ran into the box and slotted under the advancing Whitcombe.
The away side took the lead on 33 minutes, when Brendan Kelly played a superb pass wide to Dale Edwards who weaved his way in to the Littleton box before firing a low shot that took a deflection and went past Whitcombe.
Littleton could have gone in a half-time all square but a fine curling shot from Doug Wallace beat Jay on the 43rd minute but hit the underside of the bar bounced out and was cleared by a desperate Sporting defence.
Six minutes after the interval Jamie Clarke took advantage of a mix up between Jay and Kelly knocking home a loose ball to even things up but Rouslers advantage was restored three minutes later after Whitcombe parried shots from Brain and Will Tibbetts but could do nothing about Brain's final tap in.
Kyonn Evans equalised from the edge of the box on 62 minutes after picking up Nathan Heywood's excellent pass then they took the lead 6 minutes later when Gayton played a superb cross in the box that the Sporting defence failed to intercept only for Jamie Clarke on the far side to slot home unmarked.
Sporting got their fourth and the equaliser on 73 minutes following a great run down the left by Brain whose cross was only cleared to substitute Connor Collins just inside the box who banged home through a crowded defence but Littleton were back in front again five minutes later when Doug Wallace's low, angled shot found the corner of the net.
Legs were now getting tired and the home side gave away a free kick just outside the box. This was taken by Nathan Walker who hit a straight drive only for it to take a deflection past Whitcombe to make it five all.
Sporting then completed the goal fest on 90 minutes again courtesy of a free kick this time taken by Will Tibbetts from the centre circle into the box; Littleton failed to clear and Collins picked up the loose ball and gratefully smashed it home for an amazing 6-5 away win.
So Sporting will be playing the final at a venue yet to be decided but it is usually at Aggborough and their opponents will be either Alvechurch or Highgate United who contest the other semi-final on Thursday 25th February.
Littleton: Haydn Whitcombe, Kevin Ingram (Ben Johns 62 mins), Ben Judd, Brad Birch, Sam Penfold, Nathan Heywood, Callum Clarke (Capt.), Will Gayton, Jamie Clarke, Doug Wallace (Joey Smith 82 mins), Kyonn Evans.
Substitutes not used: Tim Beattie. Ciaran Gilbert, Aaron Xavier
Goals: Gayton (5 mins), Jamie Clarke (50, 68 mins), Evans (62 mins), Wallace (79 mins)
Yellows: Wallace (37 mins), Gayton (90 mins), Jamie Clarke (90+1 mins)
Sporting: Chris Jay, Aaron Roberts, Jack Wilson (Ethan Hanks 82 mins), Nathan Walker, Craig Jones (Capt), Brendan Kelly, Dale Edwards, Reece Hewitt, Kyle Turner (Connor Collins 65 mins), Sam Wills (Will Tibbetts 36 mins), Sean Brain.
Substitutes not used: Dean Fisher, Jake Willcox.
Goals: Turner (15 mins), Edwards (33 mins), Brain (54 mins), Collins (73, 90 mins), Walker (86 mins)
Yellows: Walker (70 mins), Brain (89 mins)
Referee: Mr N Radford (Worcester)
Assistants: Mr M Jones (Worcester), Mr P Stowe (Evesham)
Crowd: 142
Weather: Cold, dry
Sporting MoM: Sean Brain
Report: Phil Baker
