A first clean sheet of the season and a goal from substitute Richard Gregory ensured Bromsgrove Sporting ran out 1-0 winners over Lowestoft Town on Saturday afternoon.

The goal, which came 18 minutes from time, came via Shaquille McDonald finding Gregory in the area, allowing him to unleash a strike past keeper Luis Tibbles and set the Rouslers up to leave a sunny Suffolk with all three points.

The game got off to an open start, with the first chance being a speculative 25 yard effort from Miguel Lopez, hit straight at Tony Breeden.

McDonald had multiple chances to open the scoring for Bromsgrove, including a fierce volley from the edge of the area, that drew a fine save from Tibbles and a shot from an acute angle smashed over the bar, following some neat interplay with Charlie Dowd.

Kieren Westwood skimmed the top of the net with an effort from range 32 minutes in, but Lowestoft had the game's best chance to that point two minutes later, as a blocked Dylan Williams free kick led to Jacek Zielonka having a golden one on one opportunity inside the box that he looped over the bar.

McDonald had further chances to break the deadlock as the second half got into gear.

His first opportunity of the 45 came courtesy of an attractive team move involving Will Shorrock hitting a smart long ball to Dowd, who cleverly found McDonald, but could only strike wide from inside the box.

This was quickly followed by him latching onto a blocked Westwood shot, with the outcome being a curled shot straight into Tibbles' grasp.

Shorrock had a huge chance with a one on one effort but could only find the keeper, whilst McDonald again found himself amongst the chances, this effort being a header that Tibbles was equal to.

However, the Sporting pressure would finally pay off 72 minutes in, as McDonald battled hard to win the ball, allowing him to tee up Gregory, who slammed home well from around 10 yards, sending the travelling Rouslers support into rapturous scenes.

Eight minutes later, Sporting should have been two up, as Leon Broadhurst found McDonald with a fine long ball; his shot with just Tibbles to beat was kept out, before hitting the rebound from a similar scenario over the bar.

Lowestoft's best chance of the half came four minutes from the end, as substitute Shaun Bammant produced a clever backheel from a corner that looped narrowly over the bar.

Sporting would hold out for the remainder of the game though, in a game where the Rouslers' defence deserve massive plaudits, providing a solid basis that helped secure Bren Kelly's side's second league win of the season.

LOWESTOFT TOWN 0 BROMSGROVE SPORTING 1

BY MARK BOGGIS

Trawlerboys' suffer successive single goal defeat

Lowestoft fell to their third successive league defeat, going down to a single goal defeat to Bromsgrove Sporting.

In a very entertaining game, the visitors seemed to last the pace better and just about deserved their victory. Lowestoft suffered a blow before the game with Jack Wilkinson forced out, with Kyle Richardson coming in at full back.

After an open beginning Lowestoft had the first shot on target but Miguel Lopez’s shot was straight at Tony Breedon. As Lowestoft mounted that early pressure Tommy Taylor was dominating the visitors’ penalty area with a couple of strong headed clearances.

Bromsgrove were looking to exploit the pace and trickery of their two diminutive front men Charlie Down and Shaquille McDonald and it was the latter who forced Luis Tibbles into a fine diving save.

Half chances were coming at both ends and Jake Reed and McDonald both had close range efforts blocked. The best chance of the game so far fell to Jacek Zielonka just past the half hour as Dylan Williams’ free-kick fell to him but he could not keep his effort down.

On the stroke of half- time Williams tried his luck from the edge of the area but again Breedon saved comfortably.

Bromsgrove seemed to up the pace at the start of the second half with long balls forward utilising the pace of McDonald but his finishing was off par.

Bromsgrove made a couple of substitutions just past the hour and they both immediately made their presence felt. Firstly Richard Gregory played William Shorrock through but Tibbles stood his ground to save well.

After McDonald sent a close range header too high the striker was instrumental in the goal as he held the ball up well before laying it back for Gregory to power the ball into the roof of the net from just inside the penalty area.

That goal seemed to deflate the Trawlerboys and they should have fallen further behind 10 minutes from time when gaps started appearing in the Lowestoft defence and McDonald found himself clear but with just Tibbles to beat the keeper blocked his shot, with the rebound being hooked over.

Lowestoft had one last chance as from a right wing corner Shaun Bammant’s audacious back heel volley just cleared the crossbar.

Lowestoft Town: Tibbles, Tann, Richardson, Lopez, Cole, Jarvis, Zielonka (Marcus Wilkinson 81), Fisk, Reed, Linton (Bammant 69), Williams (McIntosh 64)
Subs (not used) Blowers, Hedge

Bromsgrove Sporting: Breedon, Westwood, Wilson, Hayward, Taylor, Broadhurst, Dowd (Pykett 64), Quaynor, McDonald, Perry (Gregory 64), Shorrock
Subs (not used) Rankin, Brown, Massey

Referee: Mr O Morris-Sanders

Attendance: 396