PAUL Smith insists he is to blame following Bromsgrove Sporting’s 3-1 home defeat against early-season table-toppers Stratford Town.
Managing his first game at the Victoria Ground since returning to Sporting, a first-half blitz put the game out of Bromsgrove’s reach as Shay Palmer netted a late consolation for the home side.
And Smith was quick to hold his hands up following the defeat and felt he should have set up more defensively to counter Stratford’s threats.
Smith said: “Congratulations to Stratford, they were very good in the first half as I expected them to be, they caused us all sorts of problems and put us under the cosh.
“I have to take the blame for that result, I set us up very similar to the first game of the season and in hindsight I should have been a bit more defensive.
“I don’t think we worked hard enough, we got outworked by miles in the first half but I’ve learnt a lot from the game and have to put my hands up and take the blame for a portion of the defeat.
“We did very well in the second half, there’s lots to work on, we know where we are as a group but I should have changed the gameplan.
“The subs made a difference, there’s lots of positives to take, we know we’re not the finished article by any stretch.
“Spalding will be looking to bounce back just like we are, I’m really pleased with the group we’ve got here, I’m sure we can put in a better performance on Saturday.”
The visitors stunned Sporting on five minutes when Alex Worley curled a superb strike into the right corner of the goal from 20-yards out.
And Stratford doubled their lead on 12 minutes as Finley Brennan slid home a cross from the right from four-yards out.
The Bards, manager by former Rouslers boss Gavin Hurren, all but sealed the points in first-half injury time when Dan Lafferty finished Chris Hussey’s cutback at the near post.
Sporting improved after the break and eventually reduced the deficit on 80 minutes as Palmer scored his second goal in as many games with a header at the back post from Luke Rowe’s corner.
Bromsgrove Sporting are next in action against Spalding United on Saturday, August 17 with kick-off at 3pm at the Victoria Ground.
