After a narrow away defeat to title chasing Leiston, which saw Bromsgrove Sporting player/manager Michael McGrath’s side come from 2-0 down at half time to equalise the game at 2-2 only to concede a late winner, Bromsgrove returned to home to the Victoria Ground against relegation threatened, AFC Rushden & Diamond who if they lost or were kept to a draw by the Rouslers, and former Bromsgrove sporting manager Gavin Hurren’s Strafford side got a victory against Leiston it would send Rushden & Diamond down and would be playing at Step 4 of non-league football next season.
Bromsgrove still without Captain Tom Taylor who was serving the last of a 2 game match ban and youngster Ammar Dyer who is suspend after being sent off against Coalville Town in Bromsgrove’s last home game.
McGrath made one change to the side the lost to Leiston on the weekend as Jack Newell who came on in the game at the weekend was brought in for new singing Darryl Powell. That ment debut home starts for forward Tristan Dunkley and the versatile Demi Akinwe.
The game started off slow with no clear cut chances for either side, however Rushden & Diamond looked more up for it, pressing high and trying to force the home side into a mistake. The 1st big chance of the game a quarter of hour in when  Ben Gough strike from distance went sailing over the bar, that effort didn’t knock the away side sprits as they kept coming at the Sporting defence, that constant pressure from the away did allow Sporting there 1st chance of the game when Brandon Smalley had picked up the ball on the right hand sight just outside the Rushden & Diamonds penalty box and played a short pass into Conner Tee inside the 18 yard box who’s shot at the near post fizzed across goal and was only stopped from going in by the finger tips of Rushden & Diamonds goalkeeper Dean Snedker.
It was then the Bromsgrove’s goalkeeper Oli Taylor’s turn to show off some heroics when a cross from the right hand side found Jenson Copper on the volley and Taylor with outstretched hand tipped it over the bar.
As the 30 minute mark approached both teams had chances but it was still deadlocked at 0-0, that changed when a long throw from the away was launched into the Bromsgrove penalty box, Mikel Brown went up to meet it, however he mistimed his jump and the ball struck his outstretched hand which let referee Hayden Lavender no choice but to award a penalty.
William Glennon stepped up take it and sent Oli Taylor the wrong way has the ball found the roof of the net to put the away side 1-0 up.
Rushden & Diamonds then looked for a second to boost their advantage going into the break when Andy Mandjoba broke through the sporting lines with pace but he shot was fired straight at Oli Taylor and sporting cleared.
As Half time whistle blew bottom of the league Rushden & Diamonds still had another 45 minutes to get through to keeps there league hopes alive for another day, whilst the home side had to regroup as they had a lot of work to do after the break.
The wind and the rain both increased in intensity for the second half and that looked like it that had correlated onto the football pitch aswell as just 3 minutes in the second half I was end to end football as conner tee’s 1st timed shot inside the Rushden & Diamonds box was deflected, which allowed Rushden to break, eventually it found Charlie Pattinson of the right flank who’s cross was drilled into box but nobody could get a touch onto it and the ball went out of play for a sporting goal kick
Bromsgrove made their 1st sub of the game in the 50th minute as forward Jack Tolly came on for Akinwe and that looked to be an inspired sub as 12 minutes later when Mo floated a ball into the area the ball flicked back to Snedker by the Rushden & Diamond negating any potential offside, Jack Tolly was quick to react and came to put the keeper under pressure as he dropped the ball which left tolly with easy tap in to equalise the game for the home side. Sporting kept the pressure on  as 6 mins later Mo found himself 25 yards out from goal and fired a shot from distance with pace, Snedker pulled of a great save to his righthand palming the ball out for corner.
Bromsgrove kept going and going at the Rushden & Diamonds defence with 13 to go Ayo shot just sailed over the bar and a minute later Brandon Smalley burst  down the wing but unfortunately there was no one on the receive end of his cross.
The referee added on 4 minutes of additional time, yet neither side could take advantage, the game finished 1-1.
Sporting move up to 12th and are 6 points clear of Kings Langley who occupy the last relegation spot, as for Rushden a 2nd half equalizers for Leiston against Stratford  ment Rushden and Diamond live to fight another day.
Bromsgrove will host playoff chasing Mickleover at home, as for Rushden & Diamond they host Leiston, needing a win to avoid relegation.
Bromsgrove Squad: Taylor (GK) (C), Ayomide Lekuti, Jack Newell, Kartell Dawkins, Mikel Brown, Michael McGrath, Conor Tee, Muhammed Sebbeh Njie, Tristan Dunkley, (Dweain Swell 65 mins,) Brandon Smalley, Demi Akinwe (Jack Tolly 50 mins,) Unused substitutes:Â Blake Kindred, Darryl Powell, Joe Curtis
Referee: Hayden Lavender
MOTM: Conor Tee
