Bromsgrove Sporting 1, Cadbury Athletic 2

LACKLUSTRE Sporting fell foul of in-form Cadbury Athletic as they missed a chance to close in on the leaders in the Midlands Football League Division One, writes Max Banner.

The visitors won their sixth league game in a row courtesy of goals from Ben Mooney and Declan Kirby.

Danny Morris’ well-taken opener for the home team ultimately counted for very little.

Sporting were marginally the better side in the first half an hour, with Sean Brain’s shooting wide from a well-placed long ball from Joe Adams and Chris Duggan’s fierce effort from just inside the box, which just flew over the bar.

It was on the 30 minute mark where Bromsgrove gained the advantage. An enticing ball from defence by captain Simon Fitter was met by Morris, who controlled the ball well and slotted home comfortably from close range.

It wasn’t all plain sailing for Sporting in the first half, however. Five minutes before the interval, a Cadbury counter-attack led to Stuart Butcher getting a shot away, which Jake Bedford saved smartly.

But the shot-stopper was beaten three minutes into the second half, a Ben Judd free-kick was met with a bullet header from Mooney, leaving Bedford with no chance as the ball nestled in the bottom corner.

Sporting failed to show as much attacking intent as they did in the first 45 minutes, their best second half chances being a Matt Gardner header aimed straight at keeper Kenny Sanders and a Sam Wills free kick that whistled over the upright.

On the 65th minute, they were made to pay for a lack of creativity.

Bedford saved a header from a corner but the home side failed to clear the ball quickly enough, leaving Kirby the easiest of chances to score from point blank range.

Sporting’s usually reliable defence looked flaky at times, even in the dying minutes of the game. Cadbury substitute Dean Lea caught the defence unawares and would have made it three, if not Bedford winning the one-on-one battle.

Despite the disappointing performance and result, Sporting were gifted an unlikely lifeline, as league leaders Highgate United lost 4-3 away at Stafford Town.

This means that Sporting are by no means out of the title race, with the game against Highgate on March 7 crucial, providing results beforehand also go their way.

Sporting: Bedford, Duggan (Wilson, 69), Morris, Fitter, Jones, Smith, Mahon, Adams (Gardner, 50), Conway (Jakab, 69), Wills, Brain.

Unused substitutes: Carter, Hewitt.

Cadbury: Sanders, Cooke, Judd, Roberts, Finn, McKeon, Spink (Lea, 71), Kirby (Cooper, 84), Clarke, Butcher, Mooney. Unused substitutes: Lloyd, Oliver.

Referee: M Gallo (Redditch) Attendance: 322 Sporting Man of the Match: Sean Brain