After a pulsating game of football at the Victoria Ground on Bank Holiday Monday, Bromsgrove Sporting gained a point from their game against Earlswood Town after going two goals down just after the break.
The opening exchanges were pretty even as Sam Wills hit the bar for Earlswood on 12 minutes and Sporting had an effort cleared off the line after the keeper kept out a fierce shot from Jon Rogers.
Earlswood started to look the sharper side and were quicker to the ball in the middle of the park than Sporting who were without regular midfielders James Turk and James Blake. It was no surprise that the visitors went ahead on 25 minutes as Sporting failed to clear their lines and Wills scored from just inside the area.
Sporting pressed forward and caused some confusion in Earlswood's defence with three corners in quick succession but failed to capitalise.
At the other end a great save from a free header by debut keeper Reece Francis kept the deficit to one on 32 minutes.
Ten minutes later Conway was booked for punching the ball into the net when he mistimed his jump for a header and right on half-time, Francis again made a good stop.
Sporting started the second half brightly with Jon Rogers twice getting behind the defence only for his pull-back to be cleared. Unfortunately for Sporting, Earlswoods first attack of the half yielded a corner which the defence made a complete hash of trying to clear and Wills side footed his second goal to put the visitors two up.
Sporting gambled with bringing on young Jovan Blake-Walker up front and taking off defender Thurbon. The youngster was given his chance after an impressive display on Saturday for the Reserves where he netted 5 goals and he had an immediate effect here. His bustling committed style of play gave Earlswood more problems than they had all afternoon and on 72 minutes Conway was brought down for a penalty which Brookes despatched.
On 75 minutes it was two each as Conway scored after being put in by Blake-Walker but almost immediately more Sporting comedy defending let Wills in to complete his hat-trick and put the visitors 3-2 up.
Sporting, however, were not to be denied and Conway equalised again on 82 minutes. Sporting pressed forward and almost found a winner from an unlikely source as a kick from keeper Francis took a huge bounce and was only just pushed away for a corner by Earlswood stopper, Neil Leach.
Overall, Earlswood edged possession and looked the better side for long periods but in the end Sporting's never-say-die attitude earned them a share of the spoils.
Sporting: Francis, Martin (Cpt), Parker, Thurbon (Blake-Walker 64), Brookes, Roberts, Draper (Baker 82), Longthorne, Conway, Rogers, Deehan (Bright 74)
Subs not used: Lodge, Mole
Earlswood Town: Leach, Boazman, Ruck, Volante (Cpt), Walton, Beauchamp, Ager (Briggs 73), Cross (Turner 68), Rowe, Hall, Wills |