Continental Star 3 – Brocton F C 2

The sun shone over Oldbury but it was the home side which started the brighter with Green rising above the Brocton defence to put a powerful header over the bar. Brocton found it hard to get into their rhythm for the opening 15 minutes, but Mick Fox began to hold the ball up well and to bring others in to the play.

Brocton`s first clear chance followed neat interplay between Lee Scott, Fox and Gary Fife which finished with Fife striking the ball at the keeper from 6 yards.

Star were soon putting pressure on the visitors` defence and Mike Shelper was forced into a superb reaction save tipping a goal bound effort from close range onto the bar with an alert Richard Jones clearing the rebound.

Brookes for the home side crossed to Benjamin whose shot was just over.

Now the game was opening up and Fox showed fine skill to evade the Star defence and find Fife at the far post. Fife shot with his left foot into the side netting from close range.

Fox was proving a real handful for Star now and a deft ball to the advancing Scott resulted in the latter shooting over from 18 yards. Fox and Ashley Phillips combined well to find Fife once more who stretching to meet the cross struck it against the post.

But it was Star who created the last chance of the half when Benjamin, put through with a clear run on goal, showed inadequate control and Shelper reacted smartly to see off the danger. Half time 0-0

Within 15 minutes of the restart Star had raced into a two goal lead. On both occasions the Brocton defence appeared to have snuffed out a Star attack only to then fail to clear. On the first as the ball fell free Green was the first to react slotting a crisp shot past Shelper and on the second it was Brooks who scored from 8 yards.

Jon Hodnet who had replaced an injured Ashley Phillips at half time began testing the Star left back, and with Fox once more making inroads Brocton began to force star into some desperate clearances. From a resulting corner on the left Scott rose well and headed home.

There now seemed to be a belief in the Brocton ranks and the pressure on the Star goal increased with Brocton`s midfield gaining the upper-hand and  Charlie Jones working very hard and putting in some telling tackles. Once more however Brocton appeared to shoot themselves in the foot when the ball was passed across the front of goal and Benjamin intercepted and struck the ball impressively inside the post for Star’s third goal on 75 minutes.

This was against the run of play and within 2 minutes Brocton were back in the match when Fife cut in from the left a curled the ball inside the far post and past a diving Amos.

Now Brocton`s tails were up and Hodnet outpaced the Star defence to swing in a cross to which Amos could only get his finger tips deflecting it across the face of goal. Scott advancing at pace flung himself at the ball only to see his header pass narrowly wide.

Fox showed trickery on the left to weave through the Star defence. He withstood a lunging tackle which made no contact with the ball and squared into the 6 yard box but the ball was hoofed away.

In what proved to be the last minute of the match Scott breached the home defence for a one on one with the home keeper. His side-footed shot, however, was read by Amos who diving to his left gathered and cleared leaving Brocton`s players, management and supporters somewhat bemused at the failure to secure any points.