LEICESTER ROAD v BROMSGROVE SPORTING: MATCH PREVIEW...

Leicester Road v Bromsgrove Sporting

Match Preview…

This clash brings together 3rd place Leicester Road and long time divisional leaders Bromsgrove Sporting, whose league record has been quite phenomenal this season, despite the fact that a tremendous run to the semi-finals of the FA Vase has complicated their desperate need to be promoted to the Midland League’s Premier Division with extra fixtures. 

26 wins from 31 matches and drawing the other 5 is a remarkable league record by Sporting, scoring 110 goals and conceding only 22 for a goal difference of 88. Their points total of 83 could conceivably rise to 114 by winning all 7 games remaining which would be a tough task but one which is certainly achievable for such a form team. Leicester Road’s league record is also strong: 23 wins from 32 matches, 3 draws and 6 losses, scoring 100 goals and conceding just 31, with a goal difference of 69… 

After beating Coventry Copsewood, Heather St John and Pelsall Villa at home, by 5-2, 5-0 and 10-0 respectively, Bromsgrove’s 0-4 victory at Stafford Town on Saturday has set up this clash perfectly. Leicester Road lost a couple of recent games, at Lichfield City, 1-0, then at Pershore Town, 3-2, (a match I saw) before hammering Stafford Town 2-6 on the road and then demolishing poor Southam United 11-0 at home on Saturday.

Jason Cowley has netted 35 times for The Rouslers this term, followed by Chris Lloyd with 17 and Andy Nicol with 11. Lloyd scored twice at Stafford on Saturday, Alfie Bloomer snatched another and an own goal completed the tally. 

JASON COWLEY: fine season...

Matty Stenson has notched 33 goals for Leicester this season, Jake Holt has scored 14, whilst Tom McGlinchey and Daryll Thomas have 12 each. In the thrashing of Southam on Saturday, Stenson rattled in 4, McGlinchey 3, Amarvir Sandhu 2 (from the bench) and a goal apiece went to Holt and Billy Bennett.

MATTY STENSON: in a quiet moment @ Pershore...

Leicester’s overall home record this season is impressive: 19 wins from 22 matches and 3 draws, scoring 84 goals and conceding only 24. Their average number of goals scored at home therefore is around 3.8 per game, whereas they have conceded an average of just over 1…

CRAIG JONES: defensive Rousler...

Bromsgrove’s overall away record is tremendous: 19 wins from 23 games, with 2 draws and 2 losses. Netting 70 times on their various travels, they have conceded only 13, revealing a scoring average of just over 3 goals per away match and conceding a ridiculous and paltry 0.57…

REECE HEWITT: back at Bromsgrove after a while at Redditch United...

Great credit must go to Sporting manager Paul ‘Smudger’ Smith this season; a deserved success for a really decent bloke. Leicester Road have again been a really tough team to play against though and will provide their guests with a stern test in this fixture. A single Robbie Bunn goal for Sporting settled the reverse fixture on January 21st…

These two teams though can affect one team’s chances of remaining in League 1 and that outfit is Pershore Town… Southam are relegated already but the Easter weekend will be dramatic for teams such as Chelmsley Town, Stafford Town, Pelsall Villa and even Studley. 

WILL HIGHLAND: Leicester Road 'keeper...

Pershore will visit Leicester Road on Easter Saturday, then will host Bromsgrove on Easter Monday, meaning a gruelling pair of matches for the Persians… Chelmsley Town are in a sticky mess too though and they travel to Hinckley AFC and Studley over the holiday weekend, whereas Stafford visit Cadbury Athletic then host Bolehall Swifts. 

JONAH, ready for the Leicester Road game...

The following Saturday 22nd April, unbelievably, Pershore Town entertain Stafford Town… 

The Leicester Road v Bromsgrove Sporting game will be a tense one but one worth looking forward to, especially as the legend that is Nick Hawkins might just have returned from Aintree in time to jog around the field in a Leicester shirt…

NICK HAWKINS: man of steel... 💪

(The above information has been collated from the full-time.thefa.com website…)

Full coverage will be at themowdog.blogspot.co.uk on Wednesday…

The Mowdog…