JASON COWLEY struck early in the second half to fire Bromsgrove Sporting to a 1-0 victory over Sporting Khalsa.
After a goal-less first 45, Cowley hit the winner in the 56th minute with a fine finish into the far corner after meeting John Pykett’s cutback into the centre of goal.
The win proved to be the perfect tonic for the Rouslers after Tuesday night’s harrowing 4-0 home defeat to Midland League Premier Division leaders Coleshill Town.
Brendan Kelly’s men started brightly at the CKW Stadium and should have been ahead after just seven minutes when Cowley rounded Sam Arnold but with an open goal to aim at his effort was hacked off the line.
It looked like Cowley was caught in two minds whether to put his foot through the ball or chip the covering defender but in the end, he did neither and Khalsa escaped.
This spurned the hosts into action but it took until the half-hour mark for their first meaningful attack with Shawn Boothe volleying over from Liam Holt’s cross.
Six minutes later an unmarked David Meese glanced a header wide from Holt’s free-kick as the two sides went into the break at 0-0.
But it did not take long for Sporting to take the lead after the interval, striking the decisive blow just nine minutes into the second period.
After R’mar Murray had lost the ball, it was recycled well to Pykett who broke free down the right before squaring to Cowley who could not miss from just a couple of yards out.
Within a matter of moments Ian Rowe’s Khalsa were almost level but Tesfa Robinson could only head over from close range after meeting Holt’s in-swinging corner.
Josh Thomas was the next to fire over before Holt missed the chance to draw the hosts level but he could only direct his header wide of the goal from just a few yards out.
Pykett almost put Sporting out of sight with 13 minutes remaining but his curling effort was superbly tipped over the bar by a full-stretch Arnold.
Khalsa continued to push but they could not find a way through a resolute Sporting defence which had to withstand seven minutes of added time before it could celebrate a vital victory.
Report courtesy of Craig Gibbons (Bromsgrove Standard)
