A spectacular Ahmed Ali strike guided Bromsgrove Sporting to a 2-0 win over Littleton in the Midland Football League Division One on Tuesday evening.

The influential midfielder struck a fierce drive from 25 yards out, clipping the post as it found its way to the back of the net, giving goalkeeper Owen Hancox no chance.

Substiute Tony Clarke scored the Rouslers’ second twenty minutes from the end, following some neat build up play with strike partner Jason Cowley.

The win propelled Sporting back to the top of the table, one point ahead of Lichfield City with a game in hand.

The visitors could have taken the lead early on, as Dan Holloway saw his free kick nervously kept out by Sporting stopper Chris Jay.

Bromsgrove’s first meaningful opportunity of the game came as Will Tibbetts played a neat ball to Cowley in the box, who hit his shot straight at the goalkeeper, with the whole goal either side of Hancox at his mercy.

Ali’s goal came 17 minutes in, which would not have been possible had he not used his ingenuity to make himself plenty of space. Once he had, it gave him the opportunity to unleash a powerful shot that floated majestically in the air before hitting the post and going in.

Tibbetts continued to prove a persistent threat up the wing and set up Nathan Walker with a decent chance to double the lead, unfortunately the hard working central midfielder curled his effort over the bar.

Walker had two further chances after the half time interval but failed to convert either of them, the second of which being a 20 yard effort that was comfortably saved by Hancox.

Sporting would have to wait for the 71st minute for the two goal cushion, as Clarke and Cowley caught Littleton with a sharp counter attack, resulting in Cowley setting up Clarke perfectly, with his shot striking the outstretched hand of Hancox before finding its way into the goal.

The final stages saw very few chances for either side. Ex-Sporting player Dan Carter saw his harmless free kick dealt with easily by Jay whilst Tibbetts, Robbie Bunn and substitute Alfie Bloomer, the latest player from the youth team ranks to be given a first team chance by Paul Smith, all missed opportunities for the home side.

Injury time saw Littleton’s Dave Edwards sent off for a reckless tackle, in what was a dismal end to a disappointing night for the visitors. Sporting, on the other hand, now have their sights set on Saturday’s FA Vase tie versus Cadbury Athletic.