Football
Sporting hit back from cup exit

THE Bank Holiday weekend finished better than it started for Bromsgrove Sporting on Monday as they overcame bottom of the table Northfield Town 4-1 in Midland Combination Division One.

Sporting suffered disappointment on Saturday as they bowed out of the Smedley Crooke Memorial Trophy with a 3-2 defeat after extra-time against Boldmere St Michaels Reserves.

They will hope to enjoy more success on the cup front tomorrow when they host Droitwich Spa in the semi-final of the Evesham Hospital Junior Cup.

The Northfield clash was Sporting’s final home game of the season and they signed off with an expected victory but it was not always easy for the Rouslers.

It took the hosts a while to get going but they went ahead in the 23rd minute when Chrisi Conway made room for himself in the box and fired across the keeper into the far corner.

Northfield soon levelled when Briggs fired home from a free kick and the equaliser knocked Sporting out of their stride as they did not look like scoring for the remainder of the first half despite dominating possession.

The second half followed a similar pattern until Sporting got themselves back ahead in the 64th minute when Conway made ground down the left and his pass found Kevin Banner to beat the keeper.

Substitute Keith Draper made it 3-1 with his first touch of the game when turning in Conway’s low centre and Conway completed the scoring a minute later following good work from the excellent James Turk.

SATURDAY’S clash against Boldmere saw a goalless first half before the visitors took a 64th minute lead through Chris Milner.

Turk levelled things for Sporting five minutes later and they went ahead in the 72nd minute.

A stunning 35-yard strike from Leon Miller made it 2-2 three minutes later, meaning extra time was needed, and the winner came four minutes into it when Richard Howles struck.

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