A clinical first half display helped lift Bromsgrove Sporting to third place in the league on Tuesday evening, as they beat Kings Langley 4-1.

A first minute penalty from Greg Mills, followed by a free kick via the same player on the half hour mark gave the Rouslers a 2-0 lead, before Mikey Taylor made it three just before half time.

Mitchell Weiss pulled one back for the visitors with three minutes remaining but, soon after, a second Sporting penalty of the night was slotted home by substitute Shaquille McDonald to re-establish the three goal advantage.

The match got off to the best possible start for Bromsgrove, as the referee awarded a penalty due to Mikey Taylor being bundled over inside the box. Up stepped Mills, who put the ball close to the top corner, sending keeper Melvin Minter the wrong way.

It was almost two in the fifth minute, as a Richard Gregory shot was blocked from close range, which was followed up by Mills hitting into the side netting.

Up the other end, striker Jordan Parkes had a couple of efforts from around 20 yards out, but was unable to test Sporting stopper Daniel Platt with either shot.

The second came 30 minutes in; Mikey Taylor was fouled just under 25 yards from goal, with the resultant free kick beautifully curled into the goal by Mills, giving Minter no chance.

Mikey Taylor and Mills had chances to make it three but put respective efforts wide; the third would eventually come in the 41st minute, courtesy of Taylor.

Jack Wilson won the ball at the back and played a long ball that the Sporting striker got onto, which he took past the keeper, before hitting into an empty net.

It was almost four with a minute of the half remaining; Charlie Dowd had a header saved by Minter, quickly followed by Nathan Hayward having a shot that was cleared away from being a certain goal, before Dowd had another bite of the cherry, but saw his shot blocked.

The second half began sharply for Bromsgrove, with Gregory hitting a half volley narrowly wide and Dowd have a low shot inside the box saved by Minter.

Kings Langley had a couple of good chances midway through the half, as Parkes had a free kick brilliantly saved by Platt, before Roderick Collins had a cracking shot from distance that clattered the crossbar.

Further chances came for the away side, as Louie Collier had a one on one from close range saved by Platt and Callum Adebiyi put a header wide.

The deserved goal came in the 87th minute, as Weiss found himself inside the area and buried the ball neatly into the bottom corner.

Sporting wouldn't have to wait long for their fourth however, as McDonald struck a penalty into the net that met the hands of Minter on the way in, after he was hauled down in the box by Adebiyi, who was given his marching orders by the referee for the offence.

From Kings Langley Website:

By Roy Mitchard

Brrromsgrove Catch Langley Cold

Kings’ midweek problems continued on a cold and frosty evening at Bromsgrove’s impressive Victoria ground as they were ultimately well beaten by the rampant Rouslers. Langley welcomed the return from injury of experienced defenders Lloyd Doyley and Gary Connolly, but their woes began in the first few minutes when an innocuous cross was not dealt with. In the ensuing scramble Jorell Johnson was adjudged to have fouled Gift Mussa, allowing Greg Mills to emphatically convert the resultant penalty.

It was the worst possible start, but Kings responded positively with Jordan Parkes again providing the springboard for many of their attacks and Mitchell Weiss and Saul Williams working hard to provide outlets. Despite Kings honest endeavours and plenty of possession, they were rarely able to penetrate the resilient home defence. Conversely, the Bromsgrove attack, spearheaded by the combative Mikey Taylor, created attempts on goal with ominous regularity.

It was therefore no real surprise when after half an hour, scorer Mills reprised his dead ball accuracy with a peach of a free kick that gave King’s custodian Melvin Minter no chance. In between Mills double act the visitors momentarily thought they had restored parity when Mitchell Weiss was first to a loose ball to fire past Platt in the Bromsgrove goal, only for the Assistant’s flag to truncate celebrations for offside.

The match was effectively sealed just before the break when the irrepressible Taylor shrugged of the attention of Jorell Johnson to sprint clear and steer the ball past the advancing Minter. The half time score may have been harsh, but it was ample testimony to the potency of the home side’s attack.

The second period saw the introduction of Louie Collier alongside Mitchell Weiss up front as Kings looked to find a way back into the contest. To their credit they made a real fist of it going forward with first Roddy Collins thumping the bar with a searing drive and then Louie Collier being thwarted at the last by a smart save from keeper Platt, but they kept plugging away and were finally rewarded when a clever combination between Collier and Weiss saw the latter rifle home from a sharp angle.

Alas, King’s consolation was not destined to be the final bow in this performance. Within a minute the home side had restored their three goal advantage when the elusive McDonald was pulled back by Calum Adebiyi at the expense of both a penalty and a red card for the big defender. McDonald, himself, despatched the spot kick to bring the curtain down on an impressive display by the hosts, in which Kings had played their part, but were decidedly second best on the night.

By Derry Edgar