BROMSGROVE Sporting cemented their position at the summit of the Southern League Division One Central table with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Aylesbury.

The Rouslers chalked up their third successive league win and fourth in all competitions with an impressive afternoon’s work at the Victoria Ground in front of a bumper crowd of 1,022.

Aylesbury proved to be a tough nut to crack in the opening exchanges and could have gone ahead in the 14th minute but the lively Ryan Young could only curl over after getting in behind the Sporting defence.

Jason Cowley had the first big chance for the hosts in the 24th minute but he could only head over at the near post from William Shorrock’s cross.

However, three minutes later Sporting seized the advantage.

Nick Bennion was quick off his line to clear the ball from Jason Cowley but it landed only as far as Charlie Dowd who beautifully guided home into an empty net from outside the area.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 when Jake Heath’s deflected volley made its way through to Richard Gregory who showed great composure to slide the ball under Bennion to bag his 13th league goal.

Although Aylesbury struggled to test Sporting’s defence, barring winger Young who proved to be a handful, they came close to reducing the arrears seven minutes before the break.

Bruno Brito tried a speculative free-kick from some 30 yards on the near side but Sporting keeper Dan Crane was quick to move across his line and push the ball out for a corner which was subsequently cleared.

Just six minutes into the second half Sporting added their third after a fine individual goal from Dowd.

The former Burton Albion product just ran and ran through the middle of the park before curling home into the far corner.

Left-back James Wilson came close to scoring what would have been the goal of the afternoon but his thunderous effort from distance flew just wide of the far post.

Aylesbury should have pulled a goal back just past the hour mark but Brito could only slam wide from point-blank range after latching on to Young’s dangerous delivery across the face of goal.

That missed chance was punished four minutes later when Cameron Peters was on hand to sweep home from Cowley’s cutback, his final goal in a Sporting shirt as the Walsall loanee returns back to his parent League One club after a three-month spell at the Victoria Ground.

The fifth and final goal of the game came 15 minutes from time when Nathan Hayward was on hand to tap home from close range after getting on the end of Tom Taylor’s header back across goal from Shorrock’s corner.

Report courtesy of Craig Gibbons - Bromsgrove Standard.

Whilst the home side were unbeaten at home in the Southern League, the Moles took confidence in the fact they had put together some solid performances on the road of late and held the hosts to a 0-0 draw at Haywood Way earlier on in the season. Paul Bonham was forced to rely upon a depleted and relatively inexperienced squad, with many key players including Ty Deacon and Steven Johnson-Fikula missing from the squad, naming promising youngsters on the bench, including Matthew Newbrook and Archie Clarke.

It was the visitors who looked to show their intent early on, looking to shock the hosts. With the first attack of the game Bruno Brito put a dangerous ball into the box from a free kick from the right flank, with Tom Taylor forced to put the ball over his own crossbar, nothing came of the corner - the early danger jolting the Bromsgrove side into action, as minutes later Jake Heath’s effort from 25 yards was just wide of the mark.

The hosts continued to pile on the pressure, with a golden chance falling to Jason Cowley who managed to get in front of Derek Feyi before heading over Nick Bennion’s crossbar from 6 yards. The pressure from Bromsgrove was rewarded soon after as a ball from Nathan Hayward split the Aylesbury back line, with the ball falling straight into the path of Cowley who had his effort superbly saved by Nick Bennion, however the stopper had no chance in keeping out the rebound as Charlie Dowd floated the ball into the top left-hand corner.

Bruno Brito had the Sporting goalkeeper Dan Crane scrambling with a dipping free kick from distance, in what was FC’s best opportunity of the half, however, just minutes later the hosts were two goals ahead – Heath’s driven cross took a rather fortunate deflection off Jordan Jenkins, and Richard Gregory was on hand to poke the ball home underneath the body of Nick Bennion.

Half Time – Bromsgrove Sporting 2 Aylesbury FC 0

The hosts continued to control the game in the second period, with Charlie Dowd getting his second of the afternoon and Sporting’s third. The midfielder went on a mazey run through the FC defensive third before slotting the ball home into the bottom left corner with the outside of his foot.

Chances were few and far between for the visitors in the second half, with the hosts illustrating why their home form has been so strong this season. Ryan Young had the opportunity to get a goal back for the Moles, after a storming run down the left-hand side his shot across goal was high over the bar.

The hosts completed the rout, courtesy of a finish from 18 yards from substitute Cameron Peters and a close-range strike from Nathan Hayward following a corner.

The Moles will look to get back on track this Saturday as they host Thame United at the SRD Stadium.

Match Rating – 3/5

FC MOTM – Ryan Young