Leighton Town 1 (Oke-William 90′)
Bromsgrove Sporting 5 (Jervis 11, 44′, 49′, 67′ Shaw 50′)
Four goals from an inspired Jake Jervis helped Bromsgrove Sporting emphatically extend their unbeaten away record in the league this season to six matches.
Two goals in both halves from Jervis, as well as an impressive second half strike from Billy Shaw, saw the Rouslers bridge the gap with the league’s top two sides – Real Bedford and Bury Town – to just a point.
Jamille Matt and Shaw both missed the target with early opportunities, before the deadlock was broken 11 minutes in, as Jervis outmuscled a Leighton defender and put the ball through keeper Ben Nightingale’s legs.
Sporting stopper Tony Breeden had to be alert to make a 14th minute double save, the second of which was a particularly impressive stop.
Dan Trickett-Smith almost lobbed Nightingale in the 20th minute – the lead would eventually be doubled 24 minutes later, as Jervis powered the ball home from just shy of 25 yards with a spectacular right footed curled effort after being teed up via a Matt backheel.
Jervis almost bagged his hat trick three minutes into the second half, but Nightingale kept out his dinked effort.
However, he would only have to wait one more minute to claim the matchball, finding himself in the right place at the right time to tap the ball home after Hayden Reeves’ header was saved.
The frenetic start to the second half continued, as Shaw sent the ball flying into the net with a cracking right footed strike from distance.
Jervis’ fourth and Sporting’s fifth came 67 minutes in, as Shaw teed the ball up for the Sporting striker to score from close range.
Leighton’s Sam King booted the ball over the bar in the 70th minute after Breeden spilled a save from an initial shot.
The 83rd minute saw Jervis denied his fifth, after his audacious effort from range was well saved by Nightingale.
Brad Bood sidefooted a shot wide with a minute of normal time remaining – from there onwards, Leighton enjoy a spell of dominance. Manu Oke-William scored a consolation in the 90th minute when he managed to guide the ball into the goal despite Reeves’ best tackling efforts, after Sporting appeals for both handball and offside in the build-up were ignored.
Oke-William was denied a second moments later, with a shot saved by Breeden before Reeves brilliantly cleared the rebound off the line.
At the death, the home side had the ball in the net, but it was ruled out for offside.
Despite Leighton’s strong finish to the match, Bromsgrove ultimately eased to victory, and made it 11 league games unbeaten in the process.
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Entertainment Rating: 4/5
Reporter’s Player of the Match: Jake Jervis (Bromsgrove Sporting)
Attendance: 520
Sporting Player of the Match, as chosen by fan Tom Sears: Jake Jervis
Report: Max Banner
A selection of photos from Chris Jepson
A selection of photos from Neil Jay
