MATCH REPORT FROM THE BROMSGROVE MESSENGER
Played at Bromsgrove on Saturday, before a fair attendance. Halesowen won the toss, and Moxon kicked off. The game opened tamely, the Rovers having somewhat the better of matters. Merrick centred nicely, but Michael put outside. A good one was sent in by Baker from near the touch line, and Cartwright cleared. The Halesowen right wing got down, but a foul gave relief to the home side. The visitors had another try, and Penny cleared with a big kick. Halesowen continued to press, but without effect. The ground was very slippery, and both sides lacked sting. The Rovers front line got going, but Troth sent over the line. Fed by Merrick, the home left looked like sending the ball through, but the danger was averted. The Bromsgrove right put in some good work, and Merrick, placing the ball in the goal-mouth, Baker dashed up and scored a finely-worked for goal twenty-five minutes from the start. Maintaining the pressure, Merrick tried a long dropping shot, which went just over the bar. Dealing with another long range effort,Cartwright came out and just beat the home forwards in a race for the ball. The Halesowen right wing were in evidence, but the ball was put over the bar. Later Winsper came out, but could not reach the ball, and Hunt equalised with a rather soft shot. Halesowen were playing a man short, Harvey having to retire owing to an injury. A corner to Bromsgrove brought no result, and at the other end Winsper saved a good one from Williams. A corner to Bromsgrove was well taken, and Baker sent in a grand shot, which Cartwright saved smartly by tipping it over the bar. Baker was again conspicuous for another shot, which hit the post. Halesowen rallied, and made a sharp attack, but the home defence was safe. Half-time: Bromsgrove 1, Halesowen 1.
In the second half play went in favour of the Rovers. Merrick created a nice opening, but Baker shot feebly. Two corners fell to Bromsgrove, and Baker headed over. Troth made a good effort, but his shot went wide, and little later he dropped the ball on the cross-bar. The visitors broke away, and Williams sent over the bar. Cartwright did well to stop a good one from Castle. Baker was bowled over in the penalty area, and from the kick Barrett gave Bromsgrove the lead. Halesowen continued to play with only ten men in the second half. Result: Bromsgrove 2, Halesowen 1.
Bromsgrove - Winsper; Penny, Barrett; Bowker, Miller, Michael; Troth, Merrick, Moxon, Castle, and Baker.
Halesowen - Cartwright; Bache, Jones; Everton, Danks, Harvey; Williams, Dunning, Webster, Roberts, and Bowser. Referee, Mr. W. Smart, Aston.
"THE SPECTATOR" OPINION COLUMN
On paper form Bromsgrove Rovers should have had little difficulty in securing a couple of points from Halesowen on Saturday, but as the game turned out the team was really fortunate to win at all. All followers of football know that it is not always the expected that happens, and on Saturday all that the Rovers supporters anticipated did not come off. The team had undergone some alterations during its "New Year's holiday," and a little staleness was to be looked for, but few expected such a mediocre display as took place. Some measure of excuse can be extended to the players owing to the slippery state of the ground, but when the utmost pardon has been granted it is bound to be admitted that there was no life in the game. Two new men were brought into the forward and half-back lines, Moxon in the former and Miller in the latter, and I was not much impressed by either. The committee would do well to remember that there is a reserve team in which newcomers should be tried before planting them, without knowledge of their play, straight into the first eleven.
The gate was a fair one, and it must be said that on the field the Rovers had the greater share of the play, but they did not make the most of their opportunities, and not infrequently wasted time in mid-field when they should have been making tracks for goal. In this respect the Halesowen forwards set the example, for whenever they got the ball they made headway with it, and several times in the first half came very near scoring. The Rovers were the first to score, Baker heading a beauty some twenty-five minutes after the commencement. The visitors retaliated, and at length found the net owing to Winsper having left his goal and failed to reach the ball, which gently rolled over the goal-line. At half-time the score was even, and was a fair representation of the game. The second half was not so even, the advantage resting with Bromsgrove, who had now become a little more vigorous, but the forwards could not score, and it was the award of a penalty kick against the visitors that enabled Barrett to register the winning goal. During the second half Winsper had nothing to do, the backs successfully dealing with the opposing forwards, who were fairly fast, but lacked combination.
With regard to the players, Winsper kept goal well, and the backs were safe, although some of Pennys clearances were not of the best, and he should have kicked harder. The half-back line felt the absence of Frank Stiles. Bowker and Michael worked hard, but Millar was not equal to Stiles in the centre. The forwards also felt the want of a centre, where Moxon was not worth his place. In the second half he was transferred to the left wing, and Cassell went centre. The right wing did some useful work, both Troth and Merrick (especially the latter) being fairly quick on the ball. Cassell was not in the best of form, and did not help Baker as he might. The latter was generally up when goals were to be tried for, and had hard lines in not scoring on one occasion, when the ball struck the post. |