Bromsgrove Sporting 5 (0) Cadbury Athletic 3 (2) 3-3 after 90 minutes.

BROMSGROVE Sporting needed extra time to win their FA Vase first round tie on Saturday afternoon, beating Cadbury Athletic in a 5-3 thriller at the Victoria Ground, writes Max Banner.

Victory looked very unlikely for the Rouslers at half time, as goals from substitute Daniel Douse and Deon Colstock shortly before the interval left an abject Sporting with a proverbial mountain to climb.

Robbie Bunn’s goal straight after the second half commenced began Bromsgrove’s comeback trail before defender Luke Edwards slotted home from inside the area to bring the scores level.

A Craig Oldfield penalty with fifteen minutes to go swung the pendulum back in Cadbury’s favour before Jason Cowley equalised from close range four minutes later.

Extra time ensued and it was Sporting who grabbed the game’s seventh as Ahmed Ali stuck the ball home to put the home side in the lead for the first time on the afternoon.

Cowley missed a penalty in the second half of extra time but soon atoned for this as he notched up his second and Sporting’s fifth with six minutes left on the clock.

It is hard to believe that an eight goal game could have taken place after such a dismal opening forty minutes but this was the case, the best chance of very few falling to the dangerous Douse, who saw his effort tipped over the bar by keeper Chris Jay when through on goal.

The final five minutes of the half saw the tie come to life, unfortunately to the detriment of Sporting. Firstly, Douse made space for himself in the area and took the ball around Jay before slotting home into an empty net. Then, Douse turned provider, as his pass into the area was flicked in by Colstock.

Sporting certainly needed to pick things up if they were to stand any chance of progressing forward in the competition and the second half could not have started much better, as Bunn’s charging down of Colstock’s clearance resulted in the ball somewhat fortuitously finding its way into the net.

The introduction of substitute Reece Hewitt, who recently returned from Redditch United, certainly changed the dynamics of the game. His pass to Tony Clarke on the hour mark resulted in a shot straight at ex-Sporting stopper Reece Francis before teaming up effectively with fellow substitution Chris Lloyd, who had his shot blocked on 66 minutes.

Full back Aaron Roberts’ attacking capabilities were seen to good affect for Sporting’s equaliser, as his shot was parried towards the feet of Edwards, who slotted home with just shy of 20 minutes left, much to the jubilation of the Shed End faithful.

However, these celebrations were short lived, as Douse was brought down in the area by Jay, with the resultant penalty nonchalantly put home by Oldfield.

The game’s third goal in a turbulent eight-minute spell came as Ali’s shot was saved by Francis, but only to the feet of Cowley, who gladly grasped the opportunity to get on the scoresheet and tapped in from inside the six-yard box.

Both teams had opportunities to seal victory inside 90 minutes, with Cadbury’s Odane Barnes clattering the bar with his one-on-one effort against Jay before Bromsgrove’s Jack Wilson and Chris Lloyd both had powerful drives diverted wide by Francis inside injury time.

Extra time began and the visitors had a golden chance to grab the lead, as Jak Walton’s header smashed the post.

Sporting took the lead seven minutes in when Cowley’s header across goal landed invitingly at the feet of Ali, who simply had to stab the ball in from no more than a yard out.

The Rouslers had a penalty of their own shortly after the second half of extra time began, as Cowley saved shot and Sean Brain’s blocked effort off the line lead to Cowley being brought down by Francis. The keeper, who’s busy afternoon showed no sign of relenting, was equal to the spot kick however, as he kept out Cowley’s tame attempt from 12 yards, with Brain failing to convert a gilt-edged opportunity from the rebound.

Cowley made up for this miss though, as he took the ball inside the area and coolly placed the ball past the Cadbury keeper and into the net to secure Sporting’s fifth.

An eventful afternoon but Sporting will be glad to find themselves in the second round draw, with the tie to be played on November 12.

Sporting: Chris Jay (Capt), Aaron Roberts, Jack Wilson, Nathan Walker (Chris Lloyd 46 mins), Luke Edwards, Danny Morris, Ahmed Ali, Robbie Bunn, Tony Clarke (Sean Brain 69 mins), Jason Cowley, Sam Wills (Reece Hewitt 59 mins).

Unused substitutes: Keenen Meakin-Richards, Brendan Kelly.

Yellow: Jack Wilson (21 mins) Cadbury Reece Hewitt, Stuart Cooke, Deon Colstock, Jak Walton, Stuart Butcher, Craig Oldfield (Capt, Jack McGinn 86 mins), Jevaughni Robinson (Daniel Douse 24 mins), Brett Fellows (Tom Brain 77 mins), Odane Barnes, Dean Lea, Dayle Kenny.

Unused substitutes: Nick Allen, Fraser Oliver.