A LATE double from Jason Cowley helped settle a fiery affair in the Red Recruitment Trophy against Redditch United on Tuesday night.
With the two sides appearing a day after Alvechurch thrashed Worcester Raiders 5-0 on the opening night of the festive tournament – acting as a pacifier for the four clubs involved while the wait for a return to competitive action goes on – Sporting struck twice in the dying embers to maintain bragging rights over their local rivals.
While the meeting can essentially only be deemed as a friendly, the match packed every bit the intensity expected of a rivalry – even overstepping the mark considering the red cards displayed to the hosts Tom Taylor and the Reds’ Branden Horton.
It was the hosts who got proceedings up and running on 13 minutes, Josh Quaynor flashing a left-footed shot beyond Kieren Boucher from Miro Pais’ cross.
The action-packed encounter then saw Taylor dismissed with a straight red after an off-the-ball altercation with Sweeney, who earned a penalty in the process before duly stroking home an equaliser on 36 minutes.
While Redditch enjoyed more clear-cut chances with the man advantage – Max Beardmore denying his old side with saves from Tom Hillman and Sweeney – they were unable to capitalise prior to Horton’s dismissal 14 minutes from time.
Buoyed by the levelling of the playing numbers, Brendan Kelly’s side hit the front with just two minutes to play, Quaynor this time turning provider for Cowley to find the corner and win the day for Bromsgrove.
And Cowley’s night got even better still, netting his second and Sporting’s third in the third minute of stoppage time after blocking Boucher’s clearance and tapping in, after the ball ricocheted against the crossbar.
Bromsgrove now go to Lye Meadow on Saturday to take on Alvechurch in a battle between the current leaders of the Trophy, before hosting Worcester on Tuesday night.
