Football
Sporting ease past Dudley test

Bromsgrove Sporting 4 Dudley Town 1

Smedley Crooke Challenge Cup Round One

SPORTING advanced to the next round of a cup competition for the second time in a week on Wednesday night when overcoming West Midlands League outfit Dudley Town on Wednesday night.

The victory came on the back of Saturday’s Les James Challenge Cup success against Bloxwich (turn inside for more details) and stretched the Rouslers winning run to six matches.

It was the home side who settled the quicker of the two with Jon Rogers and Keith Draper Jnr going close in the early exchanges.

They only had to wait until the 21st minute to take the lead when strongly-built striker Jovan Blake-Walker received the ball in the six-yard box and dummied his way past a defender before coolly slotting past Tom Harper’s right arm.

Dudley tried to respond immediately but Danny Ludlow was denied by the bar before the woodwork was also struck at the other end when Nick Harris headed Karl Fellows’ cross goalwards.

Sporting did not have to wait long to get back on the scoresheet and it was Blake-Walker again as he rose highest to head powerfully home.

The visitors looked good in possession but on too many occasions they lacked quality in the final third.

Robert Whitley went close with a good effort before half time whilst the lively Rion Francis-Mills got into a good position shortly after the restart but his finish was not of the required quality.

Dudley saw more of the ball than Sporting in the second half but it was the home side who struck next after Rogers was brought down in the box in the 81st minute. The striker actually saw his penalty saved but Karl Fellows was on hand to convert the rebound.

The visitors netted a consolation two minutes into injury time through former Bromsgrove Rovers man Alex Cowley but there was still time for Sporting to net again as substitute Chrisi Conway completed the scoring.

Sporting return to Midland Combination Premier Division action tomorrow when they entertain Blackwood (3pm).

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