BROMSGROVE Sporting assistant manager Adam Cunningham insists there’s still more to come from the Rouslers following their record-breaking 13-0 victory over Ellistown & Ibstock United in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase.
With Ellistown missing four players due to a car crash on the way down from Leicestershire on the M1 and seeing goalkeeper Dave Leigh sent off after 21 minutes, the Rouslers showed just how ruthless they can be in front of goal as they raced into a 7-0 half-time lead at the Victoria Ground on Saturday.
Sean Brain led the way with four goals, including a hat-trick of penalties against three different keepers, while Tony Clarke bagged a treble.
Ahmed Ali, Chris Conway and Aaron Roberts also netted braces for the Rouslers who claimed the biggest win in their history, smashing their original record win of 10-0 over Southam United in a Midland Combination Division One clash in 2014.
And the Rouslers’ emphatic 13-0 win, according to the Football Club History Database Index, equals the second-largest ever FA Vase win which was first set in 1989/90 by Poulten Athletic before Stratford Town matched it in 2002/03.
With first team manager Paul Smith away in Spain, assistants Cunningham and Brendan Kelly were left in charge with just two squad selections to make.
Cunningham said: “The squad is more or less the same each week so Paul gave us nine of the starting 11 and myself and Brendan were left to pick the other two spots.
“Ellistown started well but once we got to grips with the game it was never really a contest. It was a really good performance but I was very happy with second half as it’s easy to take the foot off the gas but the players were very professional.
“It’s always nice to break a record but it’d be nice to go on to reach the final. We have got a good set of lads and if they listen to instructions, they’ll push on in all competitions we play in.
“But we’ve got to keep playing well and I think there’s still more to come from this squad once they gel fully.
“Winning 13-0 sends out a big statement and it shows if sides try and sit on the ball, we’ll turn them over.”
Sporting will meet West Midlands (Regional) League outfit Tipton Town in the next round of the FA Vase on Saturday, September 24 but before that, they travel to Coventry Copsewood in a Midland League Division One clash on Saturday.
Copsewood did Sporting a favour over the weekend as they beat league leaders Lichfield City 3-0 and Cunningham insists the Rouslers must capitalise on that result.
“It will be a good benchmark for us if we can go to Copsewood and turn them over just a week after they beat Lichfield,” he added.
“Confidence is high in the dressing room and I’m confident we can go and get the result we need.”
