Pre-Season Friendly - Saturday 24th July 2010 - 3:00 p.m. kick-off
Stratford Town 4 (1) Bromsgrove Sporting 0 (0)

Probably not a score line that Sporting wanted for their first outing but the result has to be looked at in context; that it was their first ever match and they were up against an experienced side playing football four divisions higher.

In fairness, for the first thirty minutes, there was little between the two sides with both teams moving the ball round well, playing a 3-5-2 formation, ideally suited to the wide pitch at Stratford's superb new stadium.

Sporting in fact nearly took an early lead on the fifth minute when Gary Wilkes supplied a good cross that Callum Howles put wide of the left hand post. Stratford's Tom Warmer should have done better with a free kick and half-volley a few minutes later whilst Shaun Maynard headed over for Sporting from a corner.

However, Stratford took control of the game on 20 minutes when Sporting failed to clear the ball bobbing around the box and Sean Pugh had the simplest of tap-ins.

Stratford's manager Rod Brown used all five substitutes at half-time and although he admitted that the players on the pitch were not his best eleven, they proved too much for Sporting who found the second half difficult.

The home side's second came on 65 minutes when again Sporting failed to clear and Myron Semper slotted home. Then on the 75th minute Dan Patrick made a clumsy tackle on the excellent Carl Motteram to give the tangerine side a penalty that Nick Pugh hit hard into the top left hand corner. World Cup players, please note this is how it is done!

Sporting's substitutes failed to make much of an impact and Stratford remained firmly embedded in the away team's half for much of the second period. Several good saves by substitute goalkeeper Richard Baker kept the red and white team in the match but Stratford got a fourth goal courtesy of Sam Allsop just before the referee blew the final whistle.

So Sporting are in business and the number of visiting fans were not too disappointed with the outcome. All agreed that pre-season friendlies are not the best guide as to what will follow. The father and son management team of John and Myles Day will have learnt a lot from the performance but will no doubt be looking to strengthen the team in all departments.

As for Stratford, they have outstanding facilities at their new Knights Road Stadium, an experienced manager and a squad of players with a good blend of youth and experience. Hardly surprising that Rod Brown is predicting they will win the Midland Football Alliance next season.

Stratford (tangerine shirts, shorts and socks) - Chris Jay, Rob Blair, Dennis Pearce (Mark Faulds HT), Mark Smith (Myron Semper HT), Barry Woolley (Capt, Chris Reeves HT), Nick Pugh, Sam Allsop, Tom Warmer (Nathan Edginton HT), Sean Pugh (Richard Coffley HT), Dave Pearson, Carl Motteram.

Sporting (red/white shirts, white shorts, blue socks) - Chris Mole (Richard Baker 52 mins), Sander Miliciev (Capt, Nick Bate 66 mins) Callum Howles (James Bradley 58 mins), Neil Cooksey (Jake Nash 55 mins), Dan Patrick, Nick Allen, James McKeon (Damien Jackson 55 mins), Gary Ross, Ryan Molesworth (Luke Edwards 73 mins), Shaun Maynard, Gary Wilkes.

Scorers: Stratford - Sean Pugh (20 mins), Myron Semper (65 mins), Nick Pugh (pen, 75 mins), Sam Allsop (90 mins)

Yellows: None
Reds: None
Attendance: 257

Weather: Warm and slightly overcast
Cucumber's MoM for Sporting: Richard Baker (no relation!)

NEW BOYS SPORTING SHOW PLENTY OF SPIRIT BUT TOWN ARE TOO STRONG IN THE END

Stratford Town - 4 - S Pugh 20 Semper 65 N Pugh 75 (pen) Alsop 90
Bromsgrove Sporting - 0

Town contributed to a little piece of footballing history on Saturday when their opponents in their third pre-season friendly were Bromsgrove Sporting FC.. Newly formed by disaffected supporters of Bromsgrove Rovers this was Sporting’s first ever match before they begin their competitive life in Division 2 of the Midland Combination.

And they acquitted themselves with a good deal of credit as they held Town to a single goal in the first half before tiring after the break as Town’s superior fitness and organisation had the inevitable effect.

Rod Brown made three changes to his starting line-up from Thursday bringing in Rob Blair, Mark Smith and Tommy Warmer in place of Andy Wells, Richard Softley and Mark Faulds with Tim Jackson still being out injured.

A familiar face in Sporting’s line-up was keeper Chris Mole who was understudy to Chris Jay for Town throughout last season.

Sporting made a lively start with Callum Howells going close from distance within five minutes. Nicky Pugh replied for Town with a try from 20 yards out which was easily held by Mole before Jay made the first real save of the afternoon by acrobatically tipping over a Gary Wilkes free kick.

Sporting were making life difficult for Town with their energy and enthusiasm, but Town went ahead in the 20th minute when Warmer capitalised on some sloppy Sporting defending to whip in a low cross from the right which was turned in by Sean Pugh from close in.

Town then gradually began to dominate possession although a number of their attacking moves were cut short by the offside flag, but Nicky Pugh was not far away with a speculative first time effort on the half hour mark, and shortly before the break brother Sean headed inches over from a deep Dave Pearson cross.

Rod Brown sent on his five substitutes for the second half, with Chris Reeves, Mark Faulds, Richard Softley, Myron Semper, and Nathan Edgington replacing Dennis Pearce, Mark Smith, Barry Woolley, Sean Pugh and Dave Pearson, and the new look formation were soon into their stride with Edgington having two early chances to extend Town’s lead.

First he seized on a mistake by Neil Cooksey to set up a shooting opportunity only for Mole to get down well low to his right to save, and next he sent a free header narrowly over the bar after being picked out by a pinpoint Carl Motteram cross.

Sporting now began to make changes of their own including the replacement of Mole by Richard Baker and the new keeper was quickly in action turning away a close range effort from the busy Edgington and then safely holding a Nicky Pugh volley.

A second Town goal simply had to come and it duly arrived in the 65th minute with a crisp Myron Semper finish as the Sporting defence failed to deal with an Edgington cross from the left.

Town were in total control from then on with Sporting visibly wilting, and Chris Jay was a virtual spectator as most of the play took place in the Sporting half.

Nicky Pugh added a third for Town from the penalty spot with a quarter of an hour to go after Motteram was brought down by Dan Patrick as he surged into the penalty area, and Sam Alsop completed the scoring in the final minute latching on to an Edgingtom pass to slot right footed past Baker from 8 yards out.

Overall this was a professional performance from Town who now seem to have the makings of an effective unit, while Sporting will also take heart from their display which surely indicates that - at the level at which they have been placed - they should be able to look forward to a successful campaign.

TOWN : Jay, Blair, Pearce (Softley, 46), Smith (Faulds 46) Woolley (Reeves 46), N Pugh Alsop, Warmer, S Pugh (Semper 46) Pearson (Edginton 46), Motteram.

Attendance - 257

Match Report by Bryan Hale