BROMSGROVE Sporting returned to winning ways in the Midland League Premier Division with a 4-1 victory over Quorn in a game which featured three penalties and two red cards.
Dominic Brennan gave the Leicestershire visitors the lead from the spot after 39 minutes before captain Craig Jones levelled four minutes after half-time.
Sam Wills then dispatched a penalty in the 53rd minute to nose the Rouslers ahead.
Referee John Roskelly was pointing to the spot again by the hour mark when Daniel Chapman was sent off for a second yellow card after handling Jason Cowley’s shot from the edge of the area.
Quorn’s Rob Mulonga was also given a straight red card in the build-up to the penalty for dissent.
Cowley fired into the top corner from 12 yards out before the striker grabbed his second four minutes from time with a curling effort from the edge of the area.
Boss Paul Smith made two changes to the team which beat Sporting Khalsa 1-0 in the FA Vase last weekend, with Reece Hewitt and Liam Spink being replaced by Sam Wills and Joe Ward.
Although Sporting started brighter with Connor Deards and Wills firing wide of the mark inside the opening ten minutes, Quorn came closest to opening the scoring in the eighth minute when Brennan headed against the crossbar from Nick Goold’s cross.
A lacklustre Sporting struggled through the first half as Cowley watched two chances go to waste, the first a miscued lob which went into the grateful arms of Liam Sharpe before the lively striker drilled a left-footed shot straight at the Quorn stopper by the half-hour mark.
But nine minutes later Quorn were awarded a penalty when Ryan Evans tumbled under the pressure of Jones.
And Reece Francis could not repeat his penalty heroics from the Vase game at Khalsa as Brennan drilled his spot-kick down the centre of goal to give the second-from-bottom visitors a 1-0 lead going into the break.
Despite a dismal first half, the Rouslers came out all guns blazing and were level just four minutes after the interval when Wills’ corner was nodded home by Jones from six yards out – his first goal of the season.
Four minutes later Smith’s men had a penalty of their own when Chapman clumsily fouled Cowley in the area, with the defender receiving a yellow card for his troubles.
Wills took the spot-kick and found the top corner with ease to complete the turnaround for the hosts.
And at the hour mark Sporting were awarded another penalty, Chapman again the culprit when he handled Cowley’s effort inside the area, giving referee Mr Roskelly no choice but to send Quorn’s No.6 for an early shower.
Seconds later Mulonga was also given his marching orders for dissent as the visitors went down to nine men.
After a short break, Cowley fired home from 12 yards out to all-but secure the points for Sporting.
Cowley then bagged his 11th goal of the campaign in the 86th minute to complete the scoring when he curled home from 18 yards out, with defender Aaron Roberts getting the assist after a fake shot gave him the chance to pick out his team-mate.
Next up for the Rouslers is a home tie against Nuneaton Town in the Birmingham FA Senior Cup on Tuesday night.
Report courtesy of Craig Gibbons (Bromsgrove Standard) |