Bromsgrove Sporting 4, Northfield Town 1.

SPORTING’S Midland Combination Division Onehomecampaign concluded on Monday with a winoverthebottomteam – but it was a struggle at times.

The conditions were awful, and the hosts took a while to get going.

They took the lead after 23 minutes when Chris Conway made room for himself in the penalty area and shot across the goalkeeper into the far corner.

The Rouslers took control and nearly had a second on the half hour.

Conway was fouled on the edge of the penalty area and Banner’s freekick flew just wide.

A minute later, Northfield were level. Sporting conceded a free-kick on theedgeof theirownarea and Briggs fired through the wall.

That knocked Sporting out of their stride and for the remainder of the half they didn’t look like scoring despite dominating possession.

The second half opened in similar fashion, Sporting seeingmostoftheball but Northfield working hard to hold on to what they had.Theyhad a couple of counter attacks but debutant Sporting goalkeeper Anderson was untroubled.

The frustration was growing, until the 64th minute when Sporting regained the lead.

Conway made ground downthe leftandhis pass was touched back to Banner whose shot went under the diving goalkeeper into the net.

After 73 minutes Sporting made a double substitution bringing on Brookes and Keith Draper junior.

Within a minute, Draper had scored with his first touch turning in Conway’s low centre while a minute later Conway scored after being set up by Turk.

Sporting, with better finishing, could have had further goals as the grim struggle of the first hour became a memory.

So Sporting ended the home fixtures as they began, with a win.

Three away games remain, and all the Rouslers can do is win them and hope.

If they don’t go up, it won’t have been at the Victoria Ground where promotion was lost, but at places like Archdale and Hampton.

Sporting: Anderson, Roberts, McNally, Nick Martin, Thurbon, Turk, Bright (Draper 73), Jenvey (Wilkes 78), Conway, Hendry (Brookes 73), Banner. Sub not used: Allen, Rogers Northfield: Morgan, Spence, Tom Martin (McWhirter 82), Boazman, Walton, Briggs, Williams, Phelan, (Skeritt 44), McGrath (Hughes-Tranter 67), Fenlon, Lloyd. Subs not used: Mallom, Moran.

Referee: D Humphries (Edgbaston).