Bromsgrove Sporting continued their flawless start to the Midland Football League Division One, as they beat Hinckley AFC 3-0 at the Victoria Ground on Tuesday evening.
A sweetly struck Keenen Meakin-Richards free kick helped put Sporting on the road to victory before a brace of Ahmed Ali headers allowed them to ease to their third league win in as many games.
Both came courtesy of pinpoint Jack Wilson crosses, with the first being glanced across the six yard box and into the bottom corner and the second an emphatically thumped effort that left Hinckley keeper Haydn Whitcombe helpless.
The evening did not get off to the best of starts for the influential Ali, as his misplaced backpass gave Sam Agar a glorious chance of giving the visitors the lead. However, the Hinckley forward found his one on one effort expertly saved by the assured Chris Jay.
The opener came seventeen minutes into proceedings after Tony Clarke was upended twenty five yards out. The resultant free kick was beautifully guided into the net by Meakin-Richards.
The Rouslers could have doubled their lead only a minute after the goal, with Robbie Bunn's firmly hit twenty yard strike well saved by Whitcombe.
Ali's impact was shown to good effect on the half hour mark, as his header found Tony Clarke, whose lobbed effort ultimately landed well wide of the post.
The two goal cushion came seven minutes from the half time whistle, as Wilson's enticing cross into the box found the head of Ali, who nonchalantly nodded home, much to the elation of the Sporting faithful.
Hinckley almost pulled one back not long after, as Agar attempted to lob keeper Jay, who ultimately watched the ball land on top of the net.
Substitute Will Tibbetts hit the ground running as soon as he came on, with his cross on 60 minutes finding Chris Lloyd, whose volleyed shot was kept out by Newcombe.
Hinckley had chances to get onto the scoresheet but were wasteful with the opportunities that came their way. Former Sporting player Darious Darkin's shot from inside the area sailed over the bar before an Isaac Cooper cross failed to find a visiting attacker, instead being palmed clear by Jay.
Sporting's third saw the potent combination of Wilson and Ali team up once again, as Wilson's cross from the left wing found Ali perfectly, who simply had to confidently head home to seal all three points for Paul Smith's side nine minutes from time.
Bunn had a chance to add a fourth after being cleverly set up by Clarke but his shot was quickly blocked by a Hinckley defender.
Another consummate victory from Bromsgrove, who put their FA Cup exit on Saturday firmly behind them, retaining their top of the league status and 100% clean sheet league record in the process.
Reflecting on his match winning performance, Ali said: "To be fair, I didn't start too good today. I gave away an early chance but yeah, two goals is good. But we've got to work together, only three games in, 35 to go. We know if we don't play well then we can get beat.
I'm new to the team and the gaffer has told us were challenging for the title as long as we keep going."
Attendance: 420
Man Of The Match: Ahmed Ali
Bromsgrove Sporting 3-0 Hinckley AFC
Posted on August 24, 2016 by hinckleyadmin001
Hinckley AFC suffered their first league defeat of the season as Bromsgrove Sporting ran out 3-0 winners at The Victoria Ground. In truth, AFC lacked a spark and couldn't stretch the Sporting defence enough to cause major problems.
Keenan Meakin-Richards' 25 yard free kick gave Bromsgrove the lead, and an Ahmed Ali brace either side of half time secured all three points for the hosts who have a 100% record in the league.
Hinckley made three changes to the side that beat Stafford Town last week. Haydn Whitcombe made a debut in goal, while Jean Kalenda returned to the defence and Sam Agar started up front.
The game could have had a much different complexion had Agar netted a golden chance just five minutes in. He picked up on a loose pass across the home backline, and raced through on goal, only for Chris Jay to make himself big and pull off a smart save.
Jay was then given routine work to do by Ryan Paddock's downward header, before Bromsgrove opened the scoring on the quarter hour mark. Kalenda brought down Chris Lloyd 25 yards out, and Meakin-Richards curled a fine effort beyond Whitcombe from the resulting free kick.
Bromsgrove nearly doubled their lead less than a minute later. Hinckley gave the ball away carelessly, and Bunn's effort was destined for the net until the full stretch Whitcombe got a strong hand to the ball to prevent a certain second.
Then, Tony Clarke had a brace of chances, lobbing a bouncing ball narrowly wide before heading beyond Whitcombe's far post from a free kick.
Bromsgrove did double their lead eight minutes before the break when Ali got himself in front of Kalenda and glanced into the far corner. The only other sight of goal Hinckley had before the break was when Agar's clever lob landed on the roof of the net.
After the break, Bromsgrove nearly added a third when Will Tibbetts met Lloyd's cross with a sweetly struck volley, but he was denied by Hinckley's debutant 'keeper. Then, at the other end, Hinckley should have pulled a goal back on the hour. Sean Williams spread the play to the wing, where James Williams' pull back was blazed over by Darious Darkin twelve yards out.
After that, Bromsgrove started to see the game out but still had chances. Bunn's effort from range was easily dealt with by Whitcombe, before the same player struck wide of the near post after neat build up play.
On his 50th Hinckley appearance, Isaac Cooper provided Hinckley's biggest attacking threat after his introduction from the bench, and his cross was just out of Agar's reach as Hinckley sought the goal that would make the hosts nervous.
But any hope Hinckley had of getting back into the game was quashed ten minutes from time. Jack Wilson drilled a cross in from the left, Ali attacked it and powered home a header from close range.
Late on, only Mike Harvey's fine recovering challenge denied Tibbetts a chance for a fourth, and Hinckley have to bounce back quickly ahead of their Bank Holiday double header, starting against Racing Club Warwick on Saturday.
Bromsgrove: Chris Jay, Aaron Roberts, Jack Wilson, Daniel Morris, Jake Willcox (Will Tibbetts 46), Luke Edwards, Ahmed Ali, Robbie Bunn, Tony Clarke, Chris Lloyd (Lucky Nwosu 67), Keenan Meakin-Richards (Chris Conway 54).
Subs not used: Dale Edwards, Sean Brain
Goals: Keenan Meakin-Richards (15), Ahmed Ali (37, 80)
Hinckley: Haydn Whitcombe, Mike Harvey, Lee Thomas (James Williams 46), Ryan Paddock, Jean Kalenda, Darious Darkin, Lee Butler, Ryan Seal, Sam Agar, Sean Williams, Javia Roberts (Isaac Cooper 62).
Subs not used: Rico Taylor, Tom McCrystal, Tom Cross
Attendance: 420
