The Evo-Stik League South Division One Central - Play-off Semi-Final Wednesday 1st May 2019 7:45 p.m. kick-off
Bromsgrove Sporting 3 (2) Sutton Coldfield Town 2 (0) at The Victoria Ground
Score 2 - 2 at 90 minutes
Bromsgrove Sporting booked their place in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One Central play-off final on Wednesday evening, with a 3-2 win over Sutton Coldfield Town (after extra time).
In what was a rollercoaster ride of a game, Sporting looked to be cruising to victory at half time, as a Richard Gregory penalty and a Jason Cowley header gave them a two goal cushion.

However, a quickfire brace from Reece Gibson pulled the visitors back into the game and helped force the game into extra-time.
The Rouslers would have to wait until the 102nd minute of the game to bag the winner, as Nathan Hayward poked home to set up a home match vs Corby Town on Bank Holiday Monday to decides who gets promoted alongside champions Peterborough Sports.

The opening encounters were nervy, as was probably to be expected in a game of this magnitude. Kieren Westwood and Josh Quaynor spurned chances inside the first 25 minutes for Sporting, whilst Sutton's Alex Moore pulled a shot wide from a promising position.
Visiting keeper Lewis Gwilliams was first tested just shy of the half hour mark, as he kept out a Cowley effort from distance, but his fault led to the opener, as he brought down Jake Heath inside the area after flapping at a drive from Cowley.

Up stepped Gregory, 32 minutes in, who coolly slotted hard and low into the net and this seemed to settle the home side's nerves, especially by the time the second goal came, nine minutes later, courtesy of a pinpoint Cowley header that looped into the air and into the goal, after an accurate cross from Westwood.

However, six second half minutes turned the game on its head; Sporting stopper Jono Brown did his level best to keep the ball out following fine saves from shots by Mitchell Clarke and Ben George, but was unable to prevent Gibson tapping in from close range in the 52nd minute.

The second came in bizarre circumstances, as Gibson charged down a clearance by Liam Spink from inside the box that looped over Brown and into the net.

Thereafter, Sporting had the best of the chances to get the winner in regulation time, with the majority of these falling to the lively Gregory. These included a shot from the edge of the area that flew just wide following an impressive team move 12 minutes from time and, a free kick deep into injury time that almost caused sheer pandemonium at the Victoria Ground.
From around 25 yards out, Gregory managed to loft the ball over the wall but he was not able to beat the upright, clipping the underside of the crossbar and landing out of harms way.

As extra time commenced, the best opportunities initially came to Sutton, with Niall Flint seeing his bicycle kick sail just over the bar and ex-Sporting trialist Ryan Nesbitt drawing Brown into making a block with his legs with a shot from an acute angle.

The fifth goal of the match, the one that proved to be the match winner, came 12 minutes into extra time - Will Shorrock capped off a run of trickery into the box that Gwilliams pushed away, but only into the path of Hayward, who took a touch and poked the ball home, clipping the post as it went in.

The drama wasn't over though, as Brown had to be alert to more Sutton efforts, including a header from Nesbitt that was spectacularly palmed away in acrobatic fashion, whilst Sporting could have put the game beyond any doubt just before the end, but a shot from Cowley was blocked by George after rounding Gwilliams, with the rebound falling to Shorrock, who ballooned his strike over the bar with an open goal at his mercy.

The final whistle blew to rapturous celebrations from the vast majority of the 1849 crowd, as the Rouslers set up a final, at the Victoria Ground on Bank Holiday Monday, against Corby Town, who beat Bedford Town 5-3 in the other semi-final.

Referee: Mr A Cox (Coventry)
Assistants: Mr D Chambers (Derby), Mr S Mallows (Derby)
4th Official: Mr R Cattrell (Burntwood)

Sporting Man of the Match: Nathan Hayward

Crowd: 1849

Report: Max Banner