Sporting seemed to have developed the knack of performing when it really matters and this match was no exception with a controlled and adept win against Nuneaton Griff writes Phil Baker.
The proceedings began with an impeccably observed one-minute silence to honour the footballers from Chapecoense who died in the tragic air crash earlier this week.
Then from the kick-off the Rouslers were fast out of their blocks, forcing a succession of corners but all were successfully defended.
Carrying on from where he left off last week, Jason Cowley looked to be the biggest threat to home side and nearly got the opener on the 9th minute when he attempted to lob Courtney Belford but the well-built keeper was well-positioned to make the catch before any damage resulted.
A minute later Griff had their first good chance but Tyson Knights header was easily gathered by Chris Jay. That effort appeared to inspire the team in blue as they started to occupy more time in their opponents half culminating in a gilt-edged chance on the 20th minute when Jay had to make a reflex save from Tyson at the far post following a corner.
However their impetus ran out a couple of minutes later when Sporting took the lead. Jack Wilson put a delightful ball through the Griff back four that Cowley picked up leaving him to marginally win a one-to-one with Belford and the resulting shot slowly rolled over the line.
Sam Wills had a good shot turned wide a few minutes later whilst at the other end Knight was always looking dangerous but on this occasion put his shot over the bar.
With five minutes to go before the break, Cowley again used his superior pace to win a 50-50 ball that he knocked to Andy Nicol in the box only to up-ended by Ryan Aston who for his trouble got a yellow card but somewhat fortunately for him, Sam Wills blasted the resulting penalty over the bar.
Knowing they had to get back into the match, Griff pushed forward from the start of the second-half, but chances were few apart from a lob attempted by Matt Brennan from 40 yards but Jay was alert and made an easy catch.
Five minutes later Nicol was substituted by debutant, Luke Shorthouse who was immediately into action as he received a fine pass out on the right from Sam Wills. The lanky striker rounded two defenders before making a cross from a short distance that Ryan Millerchip fired into his own net to double the Bromsgrove sides lead.
With a reasonably comfortable, cushion manager Paul Smith decided not to risk anything against a side capable of fighting back so Nathan Walker came on for Cowley to tighten up the midfield and really apart from a free-kick by Chris Lloyd that Belford saved well and shot from Walker that Jack Leech cleared off the line, neither side got any closer to scoring.
So Sporting get a deserved win against a useful side and go into the FA Vase draw for the first time on Monday.
Nuneaton Griff: Courtney Belford, Darren Hutchinson (Connor McEwan 71 mins), Ryan Aston, Jack Leech, Ryan Millerchip, Chris Tullins (Capt.), Harry Walker-Donavan, Sam Belcher, Matt Brennan (John Russell 82 mins), Tyson Knight, Tom Bates, Jake Staniforth.
Substitute not used: Jack Colley.
Yellows: Ryan Aston (41 mins), Sam Belcher (42 mins), Chris Tullins (47 mins), John Russell (90+2 mins).
Sporting: Chris Jay, Aaron Roberts, Jack Wilson, Sam Wills (Capt), Luke Edwards, Danny Morris, Chris Lloyd, Robbie Bunn, Jason Cowley (Nathan Walker 82 mins), Andy Nicol (Luke Shorthouse 64 mins), Reece Hewitt.
Substitutes not used: Craig Jones, Tom Craine, Jake Willcox
Goals: Jason Cowley (22 mins), Own Goal (66 mins).
Yellows: Jason Cowley (18 mins), Luke Shorthouse (89 mins).
Referee: Mr T Walker (Belper)
Assistants: Mr R Davies (Ilkeston), Mr D Constable (Derby).
Weather: Cool, dry.
Crowd: 168
Sporting Man of the Match: Sam Wills
NUNEATON GRIFF 0 BROMSGROVE SPORTING 2
4 Dec, 2016
The Heartlanders can have no complaints about the result because the MFL title favourites bossed the game although the goals came from a little bit of luck and an own goal, little was seen of the Griff strikers and too many balls were given away but not much wrong with the defence in which Jack Leech and Ryan Millerchip were outstanding.
A one minute silence with the Coton Church bells sounding was immaculately observed before the game began with the home side on top early, the Rouslers soon imposed themselves and had an early chance when a Courtney Belford clearance rebounded towards goal until an alert Ryan Aston raced across to boot clear.
It was now one-way traffic towards the Griff goal but suddenly on the break the lively Harry Walker-Donovan put a beauty into the area where goalkeeper Chris Jay pouched in front of Matt Brennan, Tom Bates saw a free-kick deflected for a corner.
The pattern of the game was now set in stone with Griff defending deep and hitting on the break, they almost succeeded as Brennon headed well from a Bates corner to the far post but Jay made a superb save.
A goal was coming and it was Bromsgrove who struck on twenty three minutes, a route one goal and with a hint of good fortune. A long ball found Jason Cowley motoring through the middle but Belford blocked his shot only for the rebound to strike the Sporting man and go towards goal where he followed up to tap home.
Buoyed by the goal the visitors poured forward and on the end of a superb move Belford flung himself across to tip away a cracking shot. Griff hit back for a spell and almost pulled the goal back as Brennan passed short to Tyson Knight who scraped the bar with an instant toe-poke as Jay was beaten.
It was soon Bromsgrove on the attack again as Griff gave the ball away and as Andy Nicol raced into the area he went over and a penalty given, it looked a dubious award and perhaps justice was done when skipper Sam Wills sliced the penalty kick high and wide!
Walker-Donovan had a half chance just before the break but Jay came out quickly to gather.
The second half was like the first, plenty of Bromsgrove pressure but few clear chances, Brennan did try to catch Jay off his line with a high lob from the half-way line at the other end but the goalkeeper had time to run back and hold it safely.
Bromsgrove scored again on sixty seven minutes, former Griff marksman Luke Shorthouse had only been on for two minutes off the bench when his half-cross hit Millerchip who, facing his own goal, saw the ball hit his leg and deflect just inside the post.
The game petered out after that, Bates did have a clear run down the inside left slot but chose to cross low instead of shooting, at the other end Walker-Donovan cleared one of the line but that was it, Bromsgrove deserved their victory.
<br>Nuneaton Griff: Belford, Hutchinson (Colley 75), Aston, Leech, Millerchip, Tullin, Walker-Donovan, Belcher, Brennan (J.Russell 83), Knight, Bates (McEwan 70). S
ub not used: Staniforth.
Bromsgrove Sporting: Jay, Roberts, Wilson, Wills ©, Morris, Edwards, Lloyd, Bunn, Cowley (Walker 83), Nicol (Shorthouse 65), Hewitt.
Subs not used: Willcox, Jones, Craine
Referee: T. Walker (Belper)
