Match Reports – New Year Weekend Saturday 31 December 2011 and Monday 2 January 2012

Sporting enjoyed a productive New Year weekend with a 7-1 Cup victory at home to Inkberrow on Saturday and a 4-0 away win in the league at Northfield on Monday.

Things started well with a Mikey Stewart goal as he beat Inkberrow’s offside trap on 18 minutes but it was 20 minutes of struggle before they got the second but that was effectively game over as the goal came as a result of a penalty and sending off as defender Tom Whitehead handled a goal bound shot, on the line.  Joe Brookes scored the first of two penalties and Sporting added two more through Chris Conway and Karl Fellows before the break.  Unfortunately, the Sporting team appeared to leave for half-time a minute or so early as they allowed the 10 men to score a consolation through Chris White on 45 minutes.

The second half was very much one way and Sporting added three more through another Brookes penalty, this one taken twice as the referee spotted encroaching forwards first time, Nick Martin and Mikey Stewart’s second.  The win puts the team into the semi-final of the Evesham Hospital Cup.

On Bank Holiday Monday a solid performance at Northfield saw a rare Sporting away win and an even rarer clean sheet as they dominated proceedings. Jon Rogers scored twice, although could have had four or five, and opened the scoring on 15 minutes as he was first to a rebound from the keepers hand’s after a shot from the edge of the box.  Almost on half time, Rogers created the second as he outpaced the defence and rolled the ball across for Draper to tap in.  Half-time’s 2-0 scoreline became 3-0 on 56 minutes as Pete Jenvey finished a move through the middle started by a great Joe Brookes pass.  Despite more chances and a lack of threat from Northfield it was the last minute before the fourth goal went in as Jon Rogers got his second after beating the offside trap, although it was mightily close, and scoring from a tight angle.

Sporting will hope they can maintain the impetus from the Christmas period over their last 11 league games as they feel they cannot afford a defeat between now and the end of the season if they are to maintain a realistic promotion challenge.

Next weekend is a Cup game at home to Shirley Town in the Smedley Crook Challenge Trophy.