Report: Bromsgrove Sporting defeated at home by Nuneaton Borough

BROMSGROVE Sporting slipped to their fourth home league defeat of the season against Nuneaton Borough.

The Rouslers had led through Thomas Taylor’s early opener before the visitors hit back with goals from Joel Kettle, Alex Hensall and Callum Powell.

It was a disjoined showing at the Victoria Ground from the hosts as they failed to find the same levels they showed when beating league leaders Hednesford in midweek.

It was Borough that worked the first effort of the afternoon just four minutes in as Devon Kelly-Evans drilled narrowly wide from distance with Tony Breeden rooted to the spot.

Sporting began to get a foothold in the contest as they enjoyed a good spell of possession and began to find Greg Mills out on the left flank.

It was his corner that led to Bromsgrove’s opener on 13 minutes as Tom Taylor was able to fire home from seven yards out after keeper Jordan Wright failed to clear his lines with his attempted punch.

The lively Mike Taylor had a penalty shout waved away moments later as the Rouslers kept the heat on.

Nuneaton looked a little short of ideas in the final third, highlighted as Alex Henshall dragged weakly wide from range after 24 minutes.

However, the visitors found a way back from a set-piece just two minutes later when Joel Kettle arrived unmarked at the far post to head in Luke Benbow’s free-kick from the right and swing the momentum of the half in their favour.

Benbow curled another free-kick wide of the target on the half hour mark as Nuneaton enjoyed their best spell.

Borough should have been ahead on 35 minutes after Isaiah Osbourne was played in after neat build up play around the edge of the box. The midfielder took a touch but fired wide of the far post.

Dominant Nuneaton were soon chalking up the chances approaching the break and came close again five minutes from half time as Benbow hit a first-time effort over the bar from Callum Powell’s cut-back from the right wing.

Benbow then outmuscled Kyle Lincoln in injury time and forced Breeden to save from a tight angle.

A bright Bromsgrove break in the dying seconds ended as Mike Taylor could only hit the side netting with the side’s remaining deadlocked at half time.

The second period started much more cagey but it was Nuneaton that created the first chance when goalscorer Kettle headed over following a deep ball in.

The visitors had the lead on 54 minutes when Hensall was on hand to tap in at the far post after Powell’s low cross from the right reached him after evading Benbow’s outstretched leg at the near post.

Sporting looked most dangerous when they fed it to the feet of Mike Taylor around the edge of the area. That tactic nearly paid off when Shorrock engineered room 20 yards out but his dipping effort couldn’t trouble wright.

Nuneaton remained in control for long spells and should have extended their advantage on 70 minutes after another dangerous move forward but Hensall’s left-footed shot sailed past the upright.

Benbow fired a free-kick at the wall and Rhys Sharpe tested Breeden with an angled drive as the visitors continued to find a way through.

Borough did bag that killer third on 78 minutes when Powell’s deflected drive from the edge of the box looped over the helpless Breeden.

Substitute Shaquille McDonald forced Wright to tip away his curled shot on the 83rd minute but Sporting couldn’t find a way back.

Bromsgrove: Breeden, Rankin (McDonald 69), Wilson, Hayward, T. Taylor, Lincoln, Mills, Quaynor, M. Taylor, Gregory, Shorrock (Dowd 69).

Unused subs: Hull, Brown, Massey.

Nuneaton: Wright, Towers, Sharpe, Stanley, Kettle, Richens (Byrne 88), Powell (Verma 86), Osbourne, Benbow, Kelly-Evans, Hensall (Julien 79).

Unused subs: Belford, Wassell.

Att: 1,172.