Football
Sporting suffer first home defeat

Bromsgrove Sporting 1 Littleton 3

Midland Combination Premier Division

Report by Conor Rees

SPORTING saw their lead at the top cut to four points by Littleton on Saturday as they fell to a rare Victoria Ground defeat.

It was the first league defeat of the season on home turf for the Rouslers who have played five games more than second placed Littleton and an incredible ten games more than fifth placed Walsall Wood who sit just eight points adrift.

The first effort of the night came Sporting’s way but Elliot Nash’s strike caused few problems for Littleton goalkeeper Jack Dell after he showed good footwork to create the opportunity.

Both sides defended well for the majority of the first half, leaving very few clear chances falling to either side.

Matt Ross was particularly impressive at the back for Bromsgrove, making a couple of last ditch challenges that denied Littleton a clear sight of Tom Savage’s goal.

When they did get a sight of it in the eighth minute however, they took full advantage to go 1-0 ahead with their first effort of the night.

Joe Lolley’s use of skill and superb close control had posed problems throughout for Bromsgrove and it was he who opened the scoring when managing to take the ball past Savage before finding the far corner.

There was worse to come for the hosts before the break as Littleton doubled their lead on the stroke of half time.

Antonio Vernaschi was given too much time and space on his left foot and he fired high into the roof of the net to leave Sporting with a mountain to climb in the second half.

They took the first step up that mountain three minutes in when substitute Jon Rogers reacted quickest to convert a rebound after Dell had made a save.

Aaron Roberts went close to equalising with a header but chances remained at a premium for both sides.

Martin Slevin saw a free kick rebound to safety off the post as Littleton looked for a third whilst back at the other end, Nick Harris and Nick Martin probed but with little joy.

A quickly taken free kick caught the visitors’ defence napping but Rogers was unable to beat Dell when through one-on-one and the miss soon proved extremely costly as Lolley made no mistake when in the same situation at the other end.

Sporting will aim to quickly get back on track tomorrow when sixth-placed Nuneaton Griff are the visitors to the Victoria Ground (3pm).

THE Reserves, who travel to Droitwich Spa tomorrow (2pm), overcome Wyre Forest 1-0 in the Worcestershire Junior Cup quarter-finals thanks to Lee Crook’s goal.

Share This

Regional sport »