Bromsgrove Sporting 2 vs 3 Nuneaton Griff

Late drama at the Victoria ground resulted in Nuneton Griff leaving with all three points, despite Bromsgrove Sporting holding a 1-0 lead for the majority of the match.

Both sides began with chances in the opening stages of the match. Jack Webb and Alex Naughton both had chances for Nuneaton but neither could find the target.

Bromsgrove looked the more threatening side early on and it wasn’t long until they took the lead through Lewis Clarke. The corner was delivered in from Sporting and the Nuneaton goalkeeper, Dave Watson, then dropped the ball into the feet of Lewis Clarke who struck the ball into the top corner of the net, giving the home side the lead after 16 minutes. Watson and Sporting’s Poyner was also cautioned during the aftermath of the goal following a slight bust up between the two players. 

Bromsgrove piled on the pressure in search of the second goal with good attacking play and chances coming from Sam Wilkinson, Steefan Ashman and Dickson-McKenzie.

The home side should have doubled their lead on the 30 minute mark when a great free kick was lofted into the centre of box and found the feet of Luke Darby. His fist time effort should have resulted in a goal but was put just over the crossbar.

Nuneaton didn’t really have a grip on the game during the first half and their only real threatening attempt came from a free kick, but a good save from Jake Bedford denied the visitors the equaliser before half time.

The second half bizarrely began a good 15 seconds before Nuneaton even had their goalkeeper on the pitch. Sporting wasn’t able to capitalise on the situation but still went looking for their second goal early into the second half with a great curling shot from Sam Wilkinson going inches wide of the Nuneaton goal.

Nuneaton was looking a better side in the second half with a string of chances falling to Alex Naughton, his best forcing Bedford into a good low save.

Sporting’s Mark Bellingham almost got the home sides second in the 72nd minute. He was put clean through on goal on the near side and his low struck shot was saved well by Dave Watson, keeping the score line at 1-0.

Nuneaton did eventually get the equaliser in the 79^th minute. Jack Webb hit the ball with his right foot on the half volley from outside the box and the ball bounced into the goalkeeper’s bottom right corner of the net, but with the shot having no real power behind it Jake Bedford should have really stopped the shot from giving Nuneaton the equaliser.

Things then went from bad to worse for The Rouslers in less than a minute from Nuneaton’s first. Sporting lost possession straight from the kick off and Alex Naughton broke quickly down the far touchline past the last defender and slotted the ball past Bedford into the bottom left corner of the net, giving Nuneaton a 2-1 lead.

Nuneaton’s lead only lasted two minutes after a great reply from the home side. A fantastic diagonal ball from Jack Wilson to the back post found the head of Mark Bellingham whose header was too powerful for Watson to even react in time before the ball found the net.   

There was still further drama in this match when Nuneaton broke on goal during injury time and Jack Webb was put in a one on one situation. His powerful shot was well out of Bedford’s reach and struck into the top of the goal, giving Nuneaton the late winner.    

Sporting almost gained another equaliser in the fourth minute of injury time when Matt Poyner’s shot deflected onto the post, but it was too late for the home side as Nuneaton left the 3-2 victors.

Bromsgrove Sporting will feel disappointed to have not left with at least a point after leading the game for 78 minutes. They will be looking for a strong reply in their next league match, away at Atherstone Town on Saturday 16^th November.    

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