SOUTHAM UNITED 2-1 BROMSGROVE SPORTING: light-hearted match report by THE MOWDOG...

Southam Scupper Seething Sporting With Late Spot-Kick…

Southam United 2-1 Bromsgrove Sporting

I must not take anything away from Southam’s plucky, often heroic second-half showing at Banbury Road, for their defensive display was often astounding, as time and again central defenders Myles Jones and Adam Guest, who certainly didn’t treat the opposition as guests, thwarted the very best an admittedly misfiring Bromsgrove could muster. United had been nursing their point, at 1-1 for some minutes, but broke in the final moments of a lengthy period of added time to earn a penalty. Simon Fitter, the Sporting skipper, was dismissed, probably as much for his unseemly language to the trembling official as the foul on home skipper Louis Bridges, who stood up, relaxed himself and rolled a bobbling penalty slowly into the net, left of centre, with Bromsgrove ‘keeper Jake Bedford falling the other way. Joy for the Saints, frowning devilish grimaces from the Rouslers… However, I had spent the early part of the day in Stratford and in truth, the travelling Bromsgrove supporters, a jolly bunch normally, were so angered by the referee, Mr Chalkley, that their behaviour began to resemble that of a particularly noisy Elizabethan audience watching Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at the Globe Theatre in London, reacting with vicious rage to a particularly bad Bottom. If you get my meaning… The official was booed offstage by the vociferous Rouslers for a string of rather antagonistic decisions.

An early 'chuck' by Simon Fitter...

Neither team looked capable of more than strong defending and a long-ball game during the disappointing opening period, but if anything, Southam’s defence was more resolute, with Sporting making uncharacteristic errors and hesitating at inopportune moments. Certainly Ryan Mahon’s growling presence was missed and I had expected skipper Simon Fitter to fill the defensive midfield void but he was at right-back, with Lewis Clarke’s height preferred in the trenches. Surprisingly, there had not been a start for Sam Wills but he was quickly introduced at the interval, I noted. Joe Jakab, effective at Highgate was also on the bench for Bromsgrove, leaving the tall, commanding Southam central defender Myles Jones with little to challenge him, aerially. An early run by Sean Brain across the crowded United 18 yard line ended when Chris Conway lashed the ball a good distance too high and following a throw on the left, the nippy Will Tibbetts made ground to the left byeline but his delicate delivery seemed to hypnotise every player within 10 yards of goal.

Tunde takes a break...

One long Myles Jones leg prevented a Conway pass reaching strike partner Brain and a Fitter free-kick caused mild concern for Southam until a second cross, from Tibbetts this time was collected beneath his crossbar by the calm home goalie, Tom Cross. There was little to enthuse any spectators, except to complain about the officials, which is, let’s face it, quite normal behaviour but Jack Wilson might have done better when another Fitter cross from the right was headed to the unmarked Sporting midfielder by the soaring Myles Jones. Wilson stood, headed the ball, but inaccurately and wide of the left upright. All Southam could muster was a free-kick by Lee Thomas, which experienced lawman Mark Bellingham headed across goal with some difficulty but wily Saints midfielder Tunde Ajibade, a mate of Coventry United’s Graham Wood, with whom I was standing, barged unceremoniously into Dan Morris’ back to commit a wild foul and then suggest, surely with tongue in cheek, that he hadn’t touched the opponent. A rare amusing moment in a tough, unfriendly tussle.

Wilson’s next run offered Brain a shooting chance, which he struck low to Cross, then another free-kick for United led to Chris Bright’s delivery being nodded onto the roof of the net by Myles Jones, three rungs higher up the step-ladder than any visiting marker. A left-side centre by the guests saw Clarke watch like a rabbit in car headlights, before Conway fell under Guest’s challenge, following Fitter’s neat pass, which failed to amuse the Saint, for he believed he hadn’t sinned. As Bromsgrove began to grind out some ascendancy, stemming from hard work rather than any creativity, Brain’s delivery from the left was stopped and then lashed away by Thomas. Brain then reached the right byeline but his centre struck a defensive back, then Conway fell over again, leading again to screeches of disdain from Guest. At this point, the contest became rather like a farce, for Cross, cross that Conway stood three yards from him, awaiting the ‘keeper’s punt, wouldn’t kick the ball and held it for about 17 seconds, with Cross gesticulating crossly at the referee, who ran (a loose description…) some 40 yards, NOT to penalise the goalkeeper for holding onto the ball for more than 6 seconds, but to award a free-kick AGAINST Conway, perhaps because the Sporting forward looked menacing. Conway? No chance, surely? Any old how, the Bromsgrove fans erupted into a cacophony of vehement chagrin, probably wanting to throw rotten fruit at the official, locked in the stocks on the village green.

So, after a poor half, people began to realise that Barcelona’s Lionel Messi had been causing Manchester City’s James Milner some stress at the Nou Camp (although in truth, how tough is that?) and disappeared to the bar to get as far away from the bobbly pitch, the dour game and the sullen players as they could. Sporting had taken several free-kicks quickly, probably due to the towering presence of Myles Jones in the Southam defence but too often they had been crowded out. The hosts had stuck to their tasks. Rousler Sam Wills replaced Morris, who had taken a knock, I believe and the second period began. 

Incredibly, instead of a roaring start to the half by Bromsgrove, they relinquished possession on their defensive right, under no pressure and the ball was crossed by Bridges to the unmarked Calum Yeates, who must have thought his horse had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, for he, with huge glee, shot past the helpless Jake Bedford from 10 yards and into the bottom left corner of the net. Sporting were shocked. Totally.

Saints lead 1-0...

The out of sorts Reece Hewitt made a run but Brain’s resulting shot was weak and straight at Cross, who was, sensibly, taking every second off the clock he could manage, as the referee looked on and the Bromsgrove fans screamed their disapproval. Sporting won a corner, Cross punched it, Myles Jones conceded another flag-kick with a long, legged challenge and then Southam’s Bridges curled a shot following a break but Bedford claimed the effort too easily. Wills fed Conway, whose shot was blocked by the defensive Southam legs, before Tibbetts was withdrawn and Jozsef Jakab proved to be his replacement. A poor Southam free-kick led to hesitancy again by the Rouslers, this time by Wills and Hewitt, allowing Calum Yeates another right-footed pot-shot, from 16 yards but this time, he dragged his effort just wide of the left upright. Bedford then advanced to save as Bridges chased a long punted Southam clearance, before the referee really did take some abuse for not the best piece of officiating we will all see this season. Hewitt suddenly flew out of the blocks at inside-right, like a greyhound after a hare, stumbled through challenges and was just about to shoot from a great position, when the official blew his whistle for a free-kick TO the Rouslers for a foul ON Hewitt. This had been a really poor use of the advantage law and incensed the Sporting players to unsporting words and flails of arms. The Rousler spectators were ignited again, like a row of Roman Candles at the village bonfire.

Ball's in the air...
Where's Myles?

Naturally, Wills’ 23 yard free-kick was easy for Cross to fall upon, like he was falling upon his sword and naturally he took as long as it would take a spook to creep from a coffin to get up again. I really don’t blame him… Bellingham, willing but not too involved in the game had just been replaced by the brilliantly named Suki Nijjar for United and Andy Yeates had been cautioned for arguing with the referee’s latest disputed decision, before Wills had failed with his effort at goal. Bromsgrove were getting closer, by hook or by crook and after decent cover work by Wills, Conway drove a shot towards the near post from inside-left, Cross got some touch on it but the effort rebounded from the base of the upright. It was all feet to the grindstone for Southam but they did manage another break, Bridges claiming a back-pass had been picked up by Bedford, after the Saints’ skipper had, er, fallen over as he ran for goal. Cross then spooned a Conway shot upwards like he was attempting to catch one of those annoying crane flies, which head-butt your lounge windows but lose their legs when you grab them, only for Brain to be flagged offside as he attempted to score from the loose ball.

Just a short Election debate...

Dan Rist replaced Andy Yeates for the hosts, Brain was replaced by Ross Dempster for Sporting who actually, eventually, deservedly found the net at last. Clarke struck a shot goalwards, Cross prepared to deal with it but Conway deflected it low into the right side of goal, with Cross stranded. Would this be the start of a rampaging finish for the Rouslers? Would they grab the needed three points? Yes, they would rampage, but no, they wouldn’t even leave with a single point.

1-1 now...

Hewitt skied a 25 yard chance, Stefan Grudzinski appeared for the hosts, Clarke headed a Fitter cross way over the home crossbar, Wills’ left-booted cross from the right drifted across the face of a deserted goalmouth, Cross was challenged by Jakab, who was cautioned, allowing Cross to stay down and be bellowed at by the Bromsgrove fans, who thought that the ‘keeper was wasting every second that he could. If he was, I really don’t blame him. Would Bedford not have done the same?

Jakab and then Hewitt so nearly won the by now absorbing contest, for the experienced Jakab smacked a running volley just wide of the right post from 21 yards and then, following Jakab’s turn and Conway’s feed, Hewitt smashed a great 23 yard effort, which Cross dived left for and turned away superbly. Incredibly, for I could not believe it was actually happening, Bromsgrove’s leaky, indecisive defence allowed Bridges to run towards goal again and this time Fitter tripped him, an offence which brought some more words from the Sporting skipper, like: “Good Lord, Sir, surely not?” Or perhaps: “Are you certain?” Fitter was dismissed, so perhaps he added a few adjectives to his comments too… Bridges prepared to take the spot-kick, moments after Sergio Aguero had seen his penalty for Manchester City saved by Barca’s Ter Stegen but then nonchalantly nudged a bobbling, untidy but SO effective strike into the net, just left of centre, as Bedford fell the opposite way. Several minutes of added time had allowed this goal to be scored; time which the visitors had urged the referee to add on. It maybe wasn’t the Rouslers’ night…

The winner has been bagged...

Southam held on, despite having kept the ball in a corner earlier when they were hanging onto parity but such drama is why we all go to games like this. Never mind the quality, feel the slog… Myles Jones had been outstanding, supported well by Guest, Cross had been excellent in goals and Bridges had run the channels selflessly. Bromsgrove’s Craig Jones had yelled his team on but despite the territorial advantage, the end product was woefully short for a team which had recently outplayed high-flying Highgate.

The goalscorers at the end...

I returned home to beat up a bowl of Weetabix, but not until I had congratulated the Southam Chairman, Charles Hill, who actually looked a little emotional. Fair play to him…    

Teams:

Southam United:  Tom Cross, Chris Bright, Lee Thomas; Myles Jones, Adam Guest, Max Crisp; Andy Yeates, Tunde Ajibade, Mark Bellingham, Louis Bridges (Capt), Calum Yeates.

Subs: Stefan Grudzinski, James Keller, Suki Nijjar, Dan Rist, Quentin Townsend.

Bromsgrove Sporting:  Jake Bedford, Lewis Clarke, Dan Morris; Simon Fitter (Capt), Craig Jones, Scott Smith; WillTibbetts, Reece Hewitt, Chris Conway, Sean Brain, Jack Wilson.

Subs: Chris Duggan, Danny Carter, Sam Wills, Ross Dempster, Jozsef Jakab.