Bromsgrove Sporting surged to the top of the Midland Football League Division One as they beat strugglers Bolehall Swifts 4-1 on Saturday afternoon.

The home side took an early lead thanks to a Craig Jones header but the advantage was cancelled out shortly after the half time interval, when Tom Lapworth's effort was adjudged to have crossed the line.

However, Sporting soon stepped it up a gear, as two quickfire goals from Aaron Roberts and Sean Brain put the result beyond much doubt as the visitors began to tire.

Kyle Turner added a fourth 10 minutes from home and put the seal on a win that puts Sporting 2 points clear of Coventry United having played 3 games more.

The opener came after ten minutes, when Sam Wills' inviting free kick was glanced into the bottom corner by the head of captain Jones.

Both teams had chances not long after, with Bolehall keeper Thomas McNulty tipping Will Tibbetts' ambitious corner over the bar and Simeon Smith blazing his one-on-one effort dismally over the bar.

Real chances were few and far between for the remainder of the half, as Connor Collins and Jack Wilson had speculative efforts miss the target for the home side whilst Smith had a looping header hit the upright for the visitors.

Sporting's first half display was largely lacklustre by their usual high standards and it looked as though they might have been made to pay for it when a goalmouth scramble in Sporting's area resulted in Lapworth's header just creeping over the line, despite the effort of Jones to hook the ball clear.

However, the Sporting faithful were soon in high spirits again, as an accurate Tibbetts corner was met with a bullet header from Roberts only 60 seconds later.

The lead was doubled within five minutes and it was a goal that Bolehall keeper McNulty will want to forget quickly. Haring out of his box to reach the ball, he was beaten to it by Brain, who skillfully took it around and confidently placed the ball into the empty net.

Wills had an effort saved on the 80th minute but he was directly involved in the fourth, as his pinpoint cross found substitute Turner, who deftly volleyed the ball into the roof of the net.

Benn Minshull could have given the away fans another goal to enjoy but his free kick could only find the grateful hands of Chris Jay, whilst another Sporting replacement, Luke Dugmore, blazed a long-range drive wide of the mark.

Another solid win in the end for Bromsgrove but it was not entirely convincing at times, despite it being their ninth win in a row in all competitions.