BROMSGROVE Sporting continued with their Midland League Premier Division title challenge with a 4-1 victory over battling Boldmere St Michaels.
The relegation-threatened hosts took an early fourth-minute lead through Ben Usher-Shipway before an unfortunate own-goal from Harry Craven brought the Rouslers level after 21 minutes.
Robbie Bunn then stroked home his 11th goal of the campaign five minutes later to make it 2-1 to Sporting.
Sean Brain and Connor Deards then struck in the second-half as Paul Smith’s men ran out comfortable winners on a very cold afternoon at the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground.
Sporting had actually started brightly as Jason Cowley watched an effort from Bunn’s corner hacked off the line but immediately up the other end.
Usher-Shipway capitalised on a slip in the area by goalkeeper Reece Francis to tap home and give The Mikes a 1-0 lead inside five minutes.
John Pykett then came close to levelling five minutes later but his volley from the edge of the area flew over the bar before Cowley watched a looping header land on the roof of the net by the quarter-hour mark.
Despite the early setback, Sporting continued to pile the pressure on Boldmere’s defence and in the 21st minute they got the equaliser.
Brain raced away down the right and crossed into the centre of goal where Craven unfortunately volleyed the ball home into his own net.
And just five minutes later the turnaround was complete.
The Mikes failed to clear their lines after Cowley stormed to the edge of the area and Bunn was on hand to fire a low shot into the bottom left-hand corner to put Sporting 2-1 up.
The visitors continued to go for the jugular but they were lucky not to go into the break level as Francis flapped at Ryan Shaw’s volley but luckily for the Sporting keeper the ball bounced back off the crossbar and into his rather grateful hands.
The woodwork then came to the rescue of The Mikes four minutes after the interval as Pykett’s powerful drive crashed against the underside of the bar and away from danger.
Clark then glanced a header wide moments later while up the other end Harry Craven watched a near post drive pushed behind by Francis.
From the resulting corner Curvin Ellis and Craig Milligan had shots charged down before Lyng blasted over from six yards out.
And those chances came back to haunt the hosts as Sporting added their third on the hour mark.
Aaron Roberts’ deep free-kick was not dealt with which allowed Brain to lash home and give Smith’s men a much-needed two-goal cushion.
The industrious Cowley almost put the game beyond doubt six minutes later but the striker could only glance a header just wide of the post after meeting Deards’ inch-perfect cross.
Deards should have made it 4-1 in the 83rd minute but he the unmarked winger could only blast over from point-blank range.
But that did not deter Sporting’s No.16 as Deards eventually got himself on the scoresheet in the first minute of stoppage time.
There may have been a shout for a foul on a Boldmere defender in the build-up to the goal but The Mikes’ inability to clear the danger was punished by Deards who made no mistake from ten yards out to complete the scoring.
Report courtesy of Craig Gibbons (Bromsgrove Standard).
