Football
Sporting are overcome at Racing Club

Buy photos » Joe Brookes celebrates his goal against Pelsall Villa on Saturday. Picture by David Kettle.

BROMSGROVE Sporting were unable to build on their first Midland Combination Premier Division victory when beaten 2-1 at Racing Club Warwick on Tuesday night.

The Rouslers secured their first win of the new campaign with a 3-0 home success against Pelsall Villa on Saturday but fell to a second successive away defeat when beaten at Hampton Road, though they would have returned home wondering how they failed to get at least a share of the spoils.

The visitors saw plenty of chances go begging and in addition to some wayward finishing they were deprived by some excellent saves from Warwick goalkeeper Kevin Tobin.

After Chris Morrison has just failed to connect with a Dan Wilkes’ header on eight minutes at the far post it was Racing Club who took four minutes later.

Sporting failed to play to the whistle of referee Brown who overruled his assistant’s flag for a free kick, allowing Edward Kostuck to turn and place a low shot past Chris Mole from the edge of the area.

The hosts should have extended their lead midway through the half but Josh Blake dragged a shot wide when he was unmarked with only Mole to beat.

Sporting levelled five minutes before the break when Joe Brookes converted from the penalty spot after Jon Rogers had been brought down in the area by Luke Wilson.

It took Warwick just four minutes of the second half to regain the lead when poor marking allowed Nathan Edgington a free header from Paul Wilkinson’s cross that appeared to go through Mole and into the net.

The majority of the remainder of the half was played with Sporting on the attack but they rarely forced a clear cut opportunity though and even when they did they found Tobin in match winning form. The pick of his saves being a one handed push away from a Chris Conway header.

THERE was more to celebrate on Saturday when Sporting opened their Victoria Ground campaign in fine style.

The quality of their play was particularly pleasing and it is a pity that only 212 paid to watch the fine entertainment.

Sporting needed only six minutes to take the lead when Danny Deehan ran onto a through ball that caught Pelsall’s back four square and he finished well from close range.

Rogers was upended in the box two minutes later for which the referee pointed to the spot but Stuart Hall’s weak penalty was comfortably saved to the goalkeeper’s left.

A scrappy period followed for both sides but Sporting picked up the tempo as half time approached with Brookes and Rogers firing narrowly wide.

Failing to turn superiority into goals is always a worry and Pelsall threatened when Dunet fed Smith but his close range shot was well saved by Chris Mole.

That was the last Pelsall showed as an attacking force though and just a minute into the second half, Joe Brookes broke through to score a fine individual goal.

As Sporting dominated, Draper, Blake and Hall all went close before Rogers added a quite superb third after 78 minutes when Brookes chipped in a free kick from the right which was spectacularly volleyed home.

Sporting entertain Lichfield City tomorrow and travel to Nuneaton Griff on Wednesday night.

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