Bromsgrove Sporting were left ruing a host of missed chances as they could only manage a 1-1 draw versus Southam United in their opening fixture of the Midland Football League Division One.

Sporting seemed as though they were picking up from where they left off last season in the early stages of the game. Prolific frontman Sean Brain saw his shot from inside the box cannon off the post on the fifteen-minute mark. Frustratingly for the home side, the woodwork was to be a familiar nemesis throughout the afternoon.

The Rouslers' first league goal of the season came after half an hour. Midfield maestro Reece Hewitt saw his opportunistic shot from just inside the box go through the goalkeeper's hands and ricochet off his foot and into the bottom corner. Southam's James Cutts would not want to see a replay of that howler.

Sporting almost doubled their lead before the break. Some nice team football resulted in a shot by new signing Luke Corbett, but Cutts atoned for his earlier mistake with a solid save at his near post.

The first fifteen minutes of the second half saw Sporting continue to dominate play and test the Southam defence. Corbett was one-on-one with the keeper but put his effort wide of the post, Brain found himself in a similar position but had his shot tipped onto the upright by Cutts and another new signing, the energetic Aaron Roberts, saw his low strike saved.

Corbett failed to capitalise on another golden opportunity as he chipped the ball onto the crossbar with only the keeper to beat once again. Brain too squandered another chance only a minute later as he struck the ball against the post.

There was a sort of inevitability to Southam's goal, given how many chances we failed to take. Just shy of the 70th minute, a pinpoint corner was headed home by Kyle Turner; a real body blow for Sporting and the home faithful.

Not long after, Southam were reduced to ten men as full back Jack Brighton raised his studs in a tackle. This resulted in the away side putting almost everybody behind the ball in order to hold on for the point. Hewitt almost added to his tally but once again, the crossbar came to Southam's rescue as Cutts fumbled the ball onto it.

Sporting could have taken all three points in stoppage time but Brain and Aaron Williams couldn't find the back of the net. A frustrating game for Sporting; although it's very early days in the season, it will be deemed as two points lost as opposed to a point gained. However, plenty of new signings made their competitive debuts and many of these were promising. It may well be a matter of time before the team really starts to gel and the wins come rolling in.

Sporting: Shaun Edwards, Aaron Roberts, Brendan Kelly (Capt), Simon Fitter, Craig Jones, Jamie McKeon (Ollie Gibson 82 mins), Joe Adams (Jon Myrie 61 mins), Reece Hewitt, Luke Corbett (Chrisi Conway 61 mins), Sean Brain, Aaron Williams.
Subs not used: John Pykett, Brendan Bunn.
Goal: Reece Hewitt (30 mins)
Yellow: Sean Brain (82 mins)

Southam: James Cutts, Jack Brighton, Mike Harvey (lee Thomas 15 mins), Kevin Spencer (Capt), Matty Hunt, Max Crisp, Lee Constable (Stefan Grudzinski 82 mins), Jamie Hardie, Kyle Turner (Suki Nijjar 86 mins), Gareth Evans, Tunde Ajibade.
Subs not used: Marc Passey, Will Freeman
Goal Kyle Turner (70 mins)
Yellows: Jack Brighton (74 mins), Matty Hunt (45+2 mins), Tunde Ajibade (68 mins),
Red: Jack Brighton (two yellow 35, 74 mins)

Crowd 295
Weather: hot, sunny

Referee: Mr P Tyler (Worcester)
Assistants: Mr I Hopkins (Kidderminster)
Mr J Mortiboys (Redditch)

Sporting Man of the Match: Aaron Roberts.

ALL SQUARE AT THE VICTORIA GROUND ON OPENING DAY
By David Hucker

New signing Kyle Turner scored his first goal for the club to earn Saints a point after Reece Hewitt had given Bromsgrove Sporting a first half lead

This looked a tough opening fixture for Saints, as Sporting had finished runners-up in last season's league table as well as beating Quentin Townsend's side 3-2 in the Les James Challenge Cup Final in May.

It didn't get any easier when, in the 28th minute, Reece Hewitt picked up the ball from a throw-in to easily beat debutant keeper James Cutts, who been signed from Stratford Town on the day of the match.

With former Leamington striker Luke Corbett in their attack, Sporting always looked capable of adding to their score, but it was another Saints newcomer in Kyle Turner (pictured) who levelled the match with a powerful header in the 69th minute.

Sporting were first out of the blocks, going close from a free kick in the opening minute, before Saints got their first chance from another free shortly after.

The home side went ahead in the 28th minute when Reece Hewitt picked up the ball from a throw-in to score throw the legs of Cutts and give the new keeper a nightmare start.

Saints almost got back into the match with a cross shot from Max Crisp in the 35th minute, but home keeper Shaun Edwards was up to the task and then, with a minute of the half remaining, Cutts showed what he could really do when saving a powerful effort from Corbett.

Lee Constable came close in the 49th minute before Jack Brighton, who had been booked in the first half, wasted a chance from a free kick.

Cutts then tipped a shot from Sean Brain over the bar, before turning another Sporting effort round the post as the home side started to assert.

Lee Thomas, who was sporting a bandage to protect the head wound suffered in last week's friendly against Daventry Town, sent in a good low cross that eluded everyone, before Corbett beat the offside trap for the second time, only to see his lob hit the bar with Cutts beaten.

Substitute Chris Conway then hit the post within just a minute of coming on and Saints rode their luck to get back in the game in the 69th as former Pilkington hitman Kyle Turner headed home powerfully from a Thomas corner.

Saints were left to finish the match with ten men after Brighton received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 73rd minute. Seconds later, Cutts was again called into action, pushing Hewitt's shot onto the post, before making another good save, this time low down from Brain.

On the stroke of normal time, James Hardie blocked another Brain effort and Saints played out the four added minutes to secure a point at a ground where they have been on the receiving end of hefty defeats in the last two seasons.

Bromsgrove Sporting: Shaun Edwards, Aaron Roberts, Brendan Kelly [Capt.], Simon Fitter, Craig Jones, James McKeon (Ollie Gibson 81), Joe Adams (John Myrie 61), Reece Hewitt, Luke Corbett (Chris Conway 61), Sean Brain, Aaron Williams

Subs not used: John Pykett, Brendon Bunn

Bookings: Sean Brain (foul on Lee Thomas 81)

Southam United: James Cutts, Jack Brighton, Mike Harvey (Lee Thomas 25), Kevin Spencer [Capt.], Matty Hunt, Max Crisp, Lee Constable (Stefan Grudzinski 81), James Hardie, Kyle Turner (Suki Nijjar 85), Gareth Evans, Tunde Ajibade

Subs not used: Marc Passey, Will Freeman (G/K)

Sending off: Jack Brighton (73)

Bookings: Tunde Ajibade (68), Jack Brighton (34, 73), Matty Hunt (45)

Match officials: Referee Paul Tyler, Assistants Ian Hopkins and Jamie Mortiboys

Attendance: 290

Player of the match: Kevin Spencer

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