Bromsgrove Sporting recorded their second win in a week following FA Vase Semi Final heartbreak, as they dispatched Coventry Copsewood 5-2 in the Midland Football League Division One on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors drew first blood when Dave Akinuli headed home from inside the area on nine minutes before an unfortunate own goal from Matthew Burt brought Sporting level.
Jason Cowley slotted home a penalty shortly before half time after Reece Hewitt was upended in the area, which was followed by a goal from defender Luke Edwards seven minutes into the second half, as he continued his fine goal scoring form of late.
Substitute Chris Lloyd made an instant impact with a sensational effort from 20 yards with a little under half an hour remaining before Alex Andrews grabbed a consolation for Copsewood from close range.
Cowley notched up his second as his rasping drive found the top corner with aplomb to round off another commanding victory for the Rouslers, made even sweeter by fellow title challengers Leicester Road and Hinckley both dropping points on the afternoon.
Sporting threatened to begin the game in the same manner as the Cleethorpes tie seven days previous, as a fiercely struck Craig Civzelis free kick from just outside the box was firmly diverted away by keeper Jonathan Brown just two minutes in.
Soon after the goal came for Copsewood, as Cizvelis’ ability to strike a ball was seen to good effect once again with a pinpoint cross to target man Akinuli, whose header bulged the back of the net with real venom.
Bromsgrove would only have to wait a minute for the equaliser, as a well taken Robbie Bunn corner found the face of Burt, who could only aim it towards the top corner, certainly one to leave him red faced.
Talisman Cowley was having a quiet opening thirty minutes but he definitely came to life in the remainder of the half, with a shot blocked from no more than ten yards out before he coolly converted his penalty after some trickery from Hewitt lured the Copsewood defender into committing the foul.
This allowed the floodgates to open somewhat, with Edwards scoring Bromsgrove’s third in the midst of penalty area pinball following a Robbie Bunn corner, the defender simply having to hit home hard from a yard out.
Bunn almost got on the scoresheet himself but he just struck wide from distance off the back of a fine run through midfield but the home side’s fourth would soon come, as Lloyd would make a little space for himself, allowing him to rifle a screamer towards goal that left Dale O’Donnell with no chance in between the Copsewood sticks.
Luke Shorthouse laid off Hewitt but could only curl his effort just wide of the post and Copsewood’s second would come soon after, as Andrews’ shot from inside the area curled nicely into the bottom corner.
However, Sporting were to have the final say, as Hewitt teed up Cowley nicely, who gave himself a little room and struck a thunderbolt from 20 yards out, one of his better goals from his ever growing collection in a Sporting shirt.
A sixth almost came courtesy of Shorthouse, but his one-on-one with O’Donnell was fingertipped wide.
A seven goal encounter that has strengthened Sporting’s grip at the top of the league, with Heather St. Johns next up on Tuesday evening.
