BARTLEY Green Illey Sunday lifted the inaugural Bromsgrove & Redditch Standard Shield with a 3-0 victory over Bromsgrove and District League Premier Division rivals Black Horse.
Colin Tandy put Mark McCleary’s BGIS outfit ahead after seven minutes after capitalising on a defensive mistake by Matthew Edwards before Brad Bullimore made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time.
The second half saw Horse push to reduce the arrears but it was left for Alex Dugmore to grab a third for BGIS with a fine solo goal with 20 minutes to play.
Despite a late onslaught from Horse, BGIS dug deep and defended well to clinch the first-ever BRS Shield.
In what was a pre-cursor to Sunday’s WA Harris Cup final between the two sides, it was Horse who came out all guns blazing and should have been ahead after two minutes.
Robbie Bunn broke free down the right before cutting back to Bradley Birch who could only curl wide of the far post from twelve yards out.
The Horse attack continued but it was BGIS who grabbed the first goal of the game as a loose back pass by Edwards allowed Tandy to nip and slot home beyond a helpless Brendan Bunn.
Despite going ahead, BGIS remained camped in their own half as Horse continued to press for the equaliser.
Both Bunn and Dan Carter had good chances to level the tie by the half hour mark but after both being played in on goal, they could only drill their efforts wide of the target respectively.
BGIS keeper Aaron Collins then had to be at his best to save Carter’s low drive a minute later before pulling off another fine stop to parry over Birch’s shot from the edge of the area.
A goal was certainly coming but it went against the run of play as just before the hour mark Connor Collins’ scuffed shot from the edge of the area made its way to Bullimore who had the easiest of finishes at the far post to make it 2-0.
The second half was not as much of a spectacle as the first but BGIS had Collins to thank for keeping them ahead as a number of saves could only frustrate a lacklustre Horse outfit.
Carter again proved to be a handful with his pace but after making some space in the box, his shot from a tight angle was well saved by an inspired Collins after 52 minutes.
BGIS continued to soak up all the pressure and in the 72nd minute they all-but secured the victory.
Dugmore collected a long ball in the box before nodding it over his marker and beating the on-rushing Bunn to stab home from close range to make it 3-0.
A strong right hand from Collins then stopped Bunn’s piledriver from 25 yards out 12 minutes later as BGIS closed out a well-deserved 3-0 victory.
