DRAMA ON BOXING DAY

THERE was drama aplenty as we shared the spoils with Bromsgrove Sporting in a 3-3 Boxing Day draw in front of a packed house.
It was a cagey opening to the game as both teams looked to get into their stride.
The first chance fell to Lee Hughes who volleyed wide before a free-kick to Sporting was dragged wide of the target.
We made the breakthrough on the quarter-hour mark when some good work by Dave Reynolds saw him force a corner which was delivered invitingly by Matt Birley onto the head of Jordan Stoddart who planted his effort home.
Buoyed by the goal, Reynolds was denied by the ‘keeper before Hughes doubled our advantage on 26 minutes when he turned his marker before lifting the ball over the ‘keeper.
It put us into a commanding position as Josh Sarmento show good skill out wide before seeing his cross evade everyone in the middle as we looked to capitalise upon a shell-shocked Sporting.
Another neat move saw Reynolds link up with Sarmento who cut inside but fired over.
As the half went on our opponents started to get into their stride but were thwarted by some assured defending from Wayne Thomas and a smart stop from Nathan Vaughan.
Right on the stroke of half-time, Brad Birch was alert to clear off the line as we held onto our two-goal advantage going into the interval.
The second period was merely seconds old when Jamie Smith picked out Hughes who beat his marker before firing a low strike into the bottom corner of the net to make it 3-0.
It needed a response from Sporting and they got it as Gregory reduced the arrears on 49 minutes.
In front of what was a large and vocal crowd, there was great entertainment as Sporting set about the task of getting back into the game.
Vaughan saved well before Holt was just inches wide in the next raid for our opponents. There was another let-off for City when Sporting missed a great chance from close range moments later.
With 20 minutes to go Cowley was finally able to pull another goal back for Sporting to set up a real grandstand finish.
There was a cross-come-shot from Birley which almost caught Francis out in the Sporting goal then Reynolds lashed an effort into the side-netting.
As we looked to close the game down, Jamie Smith had a chance but was off target and shortly afterwards, Sporting won a penalty which was converted by Holt to level matters on 78 minutes.
We refused to let our heads drop despite giving away a three-goal lead and Reynolds went close whilst a free-kick from Cowley at the other end was easy for Vaughan to gather.
A free-kick from Danks with time running out hit the side-netting and then a teasing corner from Sporting had to be headed clear in front of goal by Mark Smith who had only just entered the action.
It finished 3-3 but what a great advert for football at this level in a game that was packed full of incident.

CITY: Vaughan, Weir, J. Smith, Stoddart, Thomas, Hayward, Sarmento (Baldwin 60), Birch, Birley (Danks 83), Reynolds (M. Smith 89), Hughes. Subs not used: Gwynne, Forsyth.
ATTENDANCE: 1,672.