Bromsgrove Sporting took the short journey to Stratford Town on August Bank Holiday Monday with the hope of gaining three points against local rivals.
After working well in the second half of the Hitchin game on the previous Saturday, The Rouslers set up in a 3-5-2 formation with travelling fans ecstatic to see both Mikey Taylor and Dan Sweeney up front together.
The Bards though started on the front foot calling in visiting 'keeper Ollie Taylor very early on. However the in-form keeper dealt calmly with the chances. James Fry opened the scoring for Sporting on the 16th; a goal that felt all the better being against his previous club. As the game kicked back off Stratford immediately went up field, took their chance well and immediately equalised through new recruit Adam Rooney.
Sporting came back in the second half thanks to a Dan Sweeney penalty after a handball in the Stratford penalty area however again Stratford again equalised shortly after and took control of the game with two fuehrer well-take goals and the game ended 4 - 2 in their favour.
So a disappointing outing for Sporting, who will now focus on the Emirates FA Cup fixture this Saturday at the Victoria Ground.
Sporting line-up: Ollie Taylor, Miro Pais, Harvey Gregson, James Fry, Jack Byrne, Mike McGrath (Capt) Callum King-Harmes, George Forsyth, Mikey Taylor (Charlie Shaw 60 mins), Dan Sweeney, Ryan Edmunds. Unused substitutes: Joe Curtis, Kieran Dawes, Dom Perkins, Lewis Wright.
Referee: Mr L Beames
Crowd: 795
From the Stratford Town Website:
Match Report by Kevin Hand
STRATFORD TOWN: 4
Hawker16, McGrath 60(OG), McCone 82, Walters 87
Half Time: 1-1
Bromsgrove Sporting 2
Fry 15, Sweeney 58
Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central
Stratford: O’Brien, Zito, Turner, Sammons, McCone, O’Neill, Molyneux(Walters70) Hawker, Rooney, Grocott©(Lafferty79), Dawes
Unused subs: Beresford, Miles, Lait
Cards: Zito(38Y), McCone(46Y)
Bromsgrove: Taylor, Pais, Gregson, Fry, Byrne, McGrath©, King-Harmes, Forsyth, Taylor(Shaw61), Sweeney, Edmunds
Unused subs: Curtis, Wright, Perkins, Dawes
Cards: Sweeney(8Y), Fry(10Y)
BARDS COME FROM BEHIND TO SECURE VITAL WIN
Three second half goals from the Bards saw them come back from behind to record a resounding 4-2 victory over local rivals Bromsgrove Sporting: In so doing moving up to 10th position in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central.
A large Bank Holiday saw a hugely entertaining game watched, without doubt, by an interested party or two from Cleethorpes. There would have been much to ponder as a fine attacking display from the Bards saw the home side in impressive form. The only change from Saturday’s fixture was Patrick Zito in for the injured Endall. Bromsgrove started with ex-Stratford men Jimmy Fry, Mikey Taylor and Dan Sweeney. On the bench was Joe Curtis. Manager for the Rouslers was another familiar figure, Thomas Baillie.
The opening exchanges were all Stratford. Rooney, Grocott and Molyneux combined and keeper, Oliver Taylor, was forced into early action leading to a corner. A long throw from James O’Neill caused havoc in the Bromsgrove defence and Jamie Molyneux went close again from the ensuing play. Meanwhile a rattled Bromsgrove side saw Sweeney and Fry go into the book. So it was irony of ironies when those villains combined on 15 minutes to give the Rouslers an early lead.
The lead was to last one minute as the impressive Molyneux found his way to the byline and crossed to give Josh Hawker a simple tap in. The rest of the first half rattled along with chances both ends but with the Bards dominating possession.
Stratford was slow out of the blocks in the second half and it was no surprise when Bromsgrove restored the lead. With the Bards under the cosh a handball in the Stratford area gave the visitors a penalty on 58 minutes and Dan Sweeney made no mistake.
It took two minutes for the Bards to restore parity. Attacking on the left Will Dawes went on the outside of his defender and his early cross saw the unfortunate McGrath turn the ball into his own net.
As the momentum swung to the Bards, it was O’Neill’s long throw that was expertly headed home by Paul McCone on 82 minutes. A late flourish from substitute, Dexter Walters, saw him break from his own half twist and turn the visitors’ defence before finishing emphatically.
There was still time for Liam O’Brien to make an outstanding save from a Ryan Edmunds’ thunderbolt but today there were to be no late ‘slip ups.’
We can expect a very tough trial at Cleethorpes Town from Lincolnshire on Saturday as the Bards return to FA Cup duty hoping to emulate last year’s heroic run. Once again, ‘the game’s afoot!’
Man of the Match: Will Dawes
Attendance: 795
