Atherstone Town 2
Rovers 0

TEN-man Atherstone Town saw off a lacklustre Bromsgrove Rovers side with a goal in each half at Sheepy Road.

The Greens fell behind to a wonder strike from Atherstone full-back James Mace, before Lee Greenway wrapped up the points for the hosts after the break.

Troy Wood and John Snape made their first starts for Rovers, with manager Rod Brown forced to make changes because of a lengthy injury list.

Player-coach Snape made the first appearance of his second spell at the club by slotting in at centre-back in place of Chris McHale.

Fresh from his two goals against Sutton Coldfield on Saturday, Wood formed a three-man attack with Nathan Lamey and Leon Kelly.

But Rovers never looked like reproducing the attacking of football that had seen them net seven goals in their previous two games.

A contest of few chances burst into life on 40 minutes when Scott Clamp was sent off for a second booking, after committing two fouls on Graham Deakin.

The man advantage should have been a boost to the visitors, but instead they switched off and allowed Mace to smash the home side in front two minutes later.

He sprinted down the right to collect Tyson Amery’s pass and struck a thunderbolt from 25-yards into the roof of the next.

Five minutes after the restart, more Mace magic led to Atherstone doubling their lead.

This time he roamed into the area and produced an audacious chip which came back off the far post.

Greenway followed up and after his initial shot was blocked by Jemiah Richards, he slotted past the helpless Karl Lewis.

It was an hour before Rovers had a chance of any worth, with Lamey firing straight at ‘keeper Richard Williams from a tight angle.

Substitute Cameron Jones also called Williams into action, but overall it was a night to forget for Brown’s men.

ATHERSTONE: Williams, Mace, Tullin, Hood, Guiney, Storer, Greenway, Clamp, Amory (Barone, 71 mins), Gaunt (Devlin, 76 mins), Bates. Unused subs: King, Belford. Albrighton.

ROVERS: Lewis, Gardiner, O'Connell (Beasley, 57 mins), Snape, Richards, Deakin, Lloyd (Waite, 71 mins), Wood (Jones, 64 mins), Kelly, Lamey, Banner. Unused subs: Mullins-Fairweather, McHale.

Referee: Mr A.Maton. Attendance: 182.