Bartley Green Illey Sunday 3 Black Horse 0
Bromsgrove & Redditch Standard Shield final
Report by Craig Gibbons
BARTLEY Green Illey Sunday lifted the inaugural Bromsgrove & Redditch Standard Shield after a 3-0 victory over Bromsgrove and District League Premier Division rivals Black Horse.
Colin Tandy put Mark McCleary’s BGIS outfit ahead after seven minutes after capitalising on a defensive mistake by Matthew Edwards before Brad Bullimore made it 2-0 on the stroke of half time.
In the second half Redditch outfit Black pushed to reduce the arrears but Alex Dugmore grabbed a third for BGIS with a fine solo goal with 20 minutes to play.
Despite a late onslaught from Black, BGIS dug deep and defended well to clinch the first ever BRS Shield at Bromsgrove Sporting’s Victoria Ground.
In what was a pre-cursor to Sunday’s WA Harris Cup final between the two sides, it was Black who came out all guns blazing and should have been ahead after two minutes.
Robbie Bunn broke free down the right before cutting back to Bradley Birch who could only curl wide of the far post from 12 yards.
The Black attack continued but it was BGIS who grabbed the first goal of the game as a loose back pass by Edwards allowed Tandy to nip and slot home beyond a helpless Brendan Bunn.
Despite going ahead, BGIS remained camped in their own half as Black continued to press for the equaliser.
Both Bunn and Dan Carter had good chances to level by the half hour mark but, after both were played in on goal, they could only drill their efforts wide of the target.
BGIS keeper Aaron Collins then had to be at his best to save Carter’s low drive a minute later before pulling off another fine stop to tip over Birch’s shot from the edge of the area.
A goal was certainly coming but it went against the run of play as just before the hour mark Connor Collins’ scuffed shot from the edge of the area made its way to Bullimore who had the easiest of finishes at the far post to make it 2-0.
The second half was not as much of a spectacle as the first but BGIS had Collins to thank for keeping them ahead as a number of saves frustrated Black.
Carter again proved to be a handful with his pace but, after making some space in the box, his shot from a tight angle was well saved by an inspired Collins after 52 minutes.
BGIS continued to soak up all the pressure and in the 72nd minute they all but secured victory.
Dugmore collected a long ball in the box before nodding it over his marker and beating the onrushing Bunn to stab home from close range to make it 3-0.
A strong right hand from Collins then stopped Bunn’s 25-yard piledriver 12 minutes later as BGIS closed out victory.
