The Pitching-In Southern League Premier Division Central, Saturday 12th August 2023, 3:00 p.m. kick-off

Royston Town 0 (0) Bromsgrove Sporting 4 (2) at Garden Walk

Bromsgrove Sporting's first match on the road this season could not have gone better bringing home three points after a decisive and unexpected 4 - 0 win against Royston Town.

Prince Henry kept up his good form with two in the first half, debutant Gustavo Macedo Sanches scored a stunner midway through the second period whilst Conor Tee added a fourth in the closing stages.

The match started quite slowly with little of any significance happening in the first few minutes though Sporting had the better of the play and several useful build-ups. However the game burst into life with ten minutes gone when Tee was tripped just inside the penalty area by Ronnie Henry. The lively forward took the spot-kick and hit it well but keeper Louis Chadwick guessed correctly diving spectacularly to his left and parried the ball out for a corner.

Seven minutes later it looked like a repeat performance as Keanu Cooper went down but this time it was short of the box; Tee's resulting free-kick was again well-parried by Chadwick.

Despite playing down a difficult slope and a strong wind blowing, Sporting managed well in the conditions putting the home defence under a fair amount of pressure with a couple of corners and an excellent shot from Billy Shaw that again needed a good save from Chadwick.

However the deserved breakthrough came on the 32nd minute when Tee's beautifully struck inswinging corner was glanced on by Cooper to the back post where Henry gratefully nodded in to give the Rouslers the lead.

The goal seemed to spur the Crows into action as they attempted to get more into the game. Their best chance came with one added minute on the clock when Matthew Bateman forced Sporting stopper Ollie Taylor into a low save but it was Sporting who had the last say of the half and it was Henry again who this time picked up a pass from Tee a couple of yards outside the box, beat two defenders before unleashing a low drive into the right-hand corner of Chadwick's net and doubling his side's advantage.

As might be expected, Royston began the second half looking more determined and had two really good chances but were denied by skilful defending particularly from David Solademi.

Sporting though never looked in danger and continued to hunt for a third goal. It duly came on the 79th minute and it was well worth waiting for when substitute Sanches who had only been on the pitch a few minutes, picked up a pass just over the halfway line, advanced goalwards and before firing a fine, low shot into the left-hand corner of the opposition net.

Royston did attempt to get one back with both Josh Stevens and Bateman forcing Taylor into reasonable saves but it was the Rouslers who hit the back of the net five minutes into added time with Sanches again involved making a neat back heal to fellow substitute Aksum White who accelerated forward before tapping to Tee who rifled past Chadwick's outstretched right arm.

Only a handful of away fans made the journey but those who did had no doubt that Sporting's season had begun and with one of the best performances from the team for quite some time.

Sporting line-up: Ollie Taylor, Kane Auld, Billy Shaw, Luke Rowe (Capt, Aksum White 80 mins), David Solademi, Mike McGrath, Callum King-Harmes (Ben O'Hanlon 77 mins), Keanu Cooper, Prince Henry, Conor Tee, Miro Pais (Gustavo Macedo Sanches 67 mins). Unused substitutes: Aaron Roberts, Blake Kindred

Referee: Mr E Mayer

Sporting Player of the Match: Prince Henry

Attendance: 286

Report: Phil Baker