Draper in praise of groundstaff (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Draper in praise of groundstaff

10:09am Thursday 21st March 2013 in Sport

BROMSGROVE Sporting manager Keith Draper hailed the club’s ground staff after Saturday’s 2-1 win over Southam.

While almost all the other games in the Midland Combination Premier Division were forced of because of last weekend’s wet weather, hard work ensured the playing surface at the Victoria Ground was playable.

Goals for Elliott Nash and Jovan Blake-Walker saw the Rouslers battle back from a goal down to avenge a 4-1 loss in Warwickshire and crucially rebuild the team’s momentum.

Sporting have won three of the last four in all competitions, boosting their confidence after a frustrating February.

Draper said: “The ground staff did a great job with the pitch, they worked from 8am until noon on Saturday to make sure it was playable and you couldn’t tell the weather had been bad.

“It was important for us to win but you can’t do that without the hard work that goes on behind the scenes, so it’s a big thanks to them.”

Draper also felt sorry for midfielder Nash, who was shown a straight red card in the second-half after bagging Sporting’s leveller.

The manager added: “Elliott was trying to get reach a mis-timed pass from one of our other players and I think he was unlucky.

“It seemed a harsh decision but the referee said afterwards his foot was high and his studs were showing and that he had to go.”

Sporting have a free weekend to recuperate and hope the teams around them drop points. Bromsgrove are still top of table but have played many more games than the sides below them and boast only the slenderest of leads.

Redditch United were set to talk to rookie striker Blake-Walker today about a possible move to the Southern League club.

Draper is hoping the lure of playing regular first team football for Sporting, with United set to put the young striker straight into the under-21s, will be enough to persuade him to stay on.

Meanwhile, Sporting have been drawn against Pershore Town in the semi-final of the Worcestershire Senior Urn on Tuesday, April 9 (7.45pm ko) in Bromsgrove.

The reserves take on Cadbury Athletic at home in the first leg of the Midland Combination Urn semi-final on Saturday (3pm ko).