




Two Lewis Clarke goals help Bromsgrove Sporting overcome table toppers Brocton during a thrilling first half of football at the Victoria Ground.
Both sides had chances in the opening stages with the visitors creating the first threatening attempt. Paul McMahon's half volley was saved well by Sporting's Jake Bedford and pushed out for a corner. The corner should have gave Brocton the lead but Rob Tomlinson's free header was put over the crossbar.
It was the visitors who took the lead inside the opening 20 minutes. Sam Bell crossed the ball into the box after a quick sprint down the far wing and Paul McMahon then headed the ball into the corner of the net.
The home side responded well and cancelled out Brocton's lead within three minutes. A great free kick from Joe Cole found the head of Lewis Clarke whose header lofted over the Brocton goalkeeper making the score 1-1.
There wasn't much between the two sides in the opening half but it was again the away side that took the lead. Sam Bell's pace was again causing trouble in the Bromsgrove defence and his low pass across the face of the Sporting box was tapped in by Paul McMahon.
The Rouslers cancelled out the lead even quicker this time and within two minutes Mark Bellingham had added his name to the score sheet. Lewis Clarke's stretching shot came off the inside of the post and Mark Bellingham then scrambled the ball into the net.
Keeping to this fashion, Bromsgrove Sporting then took the lead a further two minutes later in the 36th minute. Mark Bellingham crossed the ball into the box and a missed judged punch by Brocton goalkeeper Adam Whitehouse meant that Lewis Clarke could strike the ball into the far corner of the net for his second goal of the match and giving the home side the lead for the first time.
Brocton had the chance to the level the score before the break but Bedford spread his body well to deny Andrew Bourne from scoring.
Bromsgrove Sporting almost increased their lead after the break when Lewis Clarke's deflected shot bounced up onto the crossbar and out for a corner.
The home side looked the more likely to score during the opening period of the second half. A twisting effort from Matt Poyner almost found the far top corner of the net, but failed to hit the target.
Just before the hour mark Brocton was lucky to still have eleven men on the pitch when Rob Tomlinson blocked a goal bound shot with his hand after Mark Bellingham got round the goalkeeper, but the referee waved play on.
Brocton had some good build-up play in the second half but only managed to create one more threatening effort. Lucas Putka went one on one with the goal keeper on the near side, Bedford rushed out of his goal and did well to close down the angle and then save Putka's shot.
The final attempt of the game came to Sporting and would have been the best of the lot had Whitehouse not made a fantastic save. Jack Wilson's 38 yard free kick was hit with a ferocious power towards goal, aided by the windy conditions, and the Brocton goalkeeper made a great save to stop Wilsons shot going into the top corner.
The build-up play and possession was fairly even between the two sides but Bromsgrove made the most of their chances and deserved the three points with the amount of efforts they had.
Table leaders Brocton have now lost two league games in their last three matches and Sporting, who now sit fifth, must feel they have a chance at closing that gap further.