Lichfield City 3, Bromsgrove Sporting 1

TEN men Sporting were left to rue two second half penalties as their hoodoo at Brownsfield Park continued.

Bromsgrove have now not won at their Staffordshire rivals in four games as they paid the price for losing their cool.

Craig Jones was given his marching orders for bringing down Lichfield's Kyle Minto.

While keeper Jake Bedford saved the resulting penalty, he was beaten from the spot minutes later by Liam Holt's accurate attempt.

It summed up a game where the Rouslers paid the price for a slow start as Lichfield made half a dozen reasonable chances in the first quarter hour.

Sporting were denied the best effort when Mark Bellingham hit the post after Lichfield keeper Liam Hogen had parried Matt Poyner's shot.

The home side finally took the lead on the 25th minute when dangerman Minto evaded the Sporting back four to put in a precision cross, which Ben Minshull chipped over the advancing Jake Bedford for a well-taken goal.

Sporting rallied and started to move the ball around well, with Rico Taylor in particular being quite impressive during this spell.

But their momentum stalled in the second half with the two penalty incidents effectively deciding their fate. Lichfield scored a third on 70 minutes when substitute Dan Rock found himself unmarked after a receiving a good cross from Dan Worrall and fired home with his first touch of the ball.

With a good cushion Lichfield defended in numbers making it virtually impossible for Sporting to find a way through particularly with a man short. However they did hit the woodwork a couple of times and Bellingham made the scoreline more respectable with an easy tap in two minutes into added time.

Coach Les Palmer said: "We had our moments and should have take our chances.

"We hit the post three times but luck was not on our side and we gave goals away that we should have defended."

Lichfield: Hodgen, Deavall, Huckfield, Perry, McLeod, Worrall, Morgan, Holt, Minto (Coulson, 87), Minshull (Bennett, 78), Budd (Rock, 62).

Subs not used: Hunt.

Sporting: Bedford, Duggan (Mander, 81), Daly (Harvey, 81), Clarke, Cole, Jones, Taylor, Darkin, Poyner (Wilkinson, 69), Bellingham, Wilson.

Referee: K Maskery (Stoke-on-Trent) Attendance: 82.