South Normanton Athletic 0 - 3 Bromsgrove Sporting 3 

IT was a damp and cool day up in Derbyshire but Sporting got into a rhythm pretty speedily writes Phil Baker.

Dividends were paid quickly on the 10th minute when Jason Cowley went down after a tap on his heel just outside the box.

Step up The Rouslers' ace striker who curled a beautifully taken free-kick over the wall into the top left-hand corner of the home net leaving 'keeper Darren Keeling grasping at thin air.

Cowley was involved in three more good moves all in the following ten minutes before Wade Malley had to be substituted after turning his ankle.

South Normanton attempted to even things up with good play down the flanks but as with previous matches, the Bromsgrove rear four were well-organised and let little other than a couple of off-target shots past them.

It was a pretty quiet opening 20 minutes of the second half with all the play in the middle of the park as the game slowed down in proportion to the rain coming down.

However John Pykett took the game by the scruff of the neck on the 68th minute when he danced round a couple of defender then did a 360 degree pirouette before firing hard and low under Keeling to double his side's lead. If that was not enough he celebrated with an impressive back-flip.

The home side were still struggling to get forward and despite being a couple of goals down seemed to be reluctant to commit extra players to their attack.

With 70 minutes gone it was Pykett again who had a hand in putting the match well beyond their rivals when he was fouled in the box as he attempted to shoot.

Substitute Liam Spink made no mistake with the penalty driving a precise shot into the bottom left-hand corner having had the advantage of Keeling diving early and the wrong way.

The last 20 minutes saw the home side liven up a little more but despite a couple of shots on target, Brendon Bunn in the Sporting net was not really troubled.

Sporting retain second place in the division and it says a lot that several players though that they could have played better but it was enough to send the usual large posse of Bromsgrove fans home happy.

South Normanton: Darren Keeling, Jack O'Brien, Danny Roberts (Capt.), Reuben Desrosiers, Mark Strzyzweski, Sam Kellogg, Antonio Wedderburn (Dave Leigh 70 mins), Fraser Kirk (Kenesi Ofushine 74 mins), Jack Tyson, Luke Crosby (Paul Edwards 74 mins), Abou Sylla.

Substitutes not used: Shane Newton, Kane Jellyman Yellows: Fraser Kirk (52 mins), Sam Kellogg (63 mins) Sporting: Brendon Bunn, Aaron Roberts, Josh Quaynor, Sam Wills (Liam Spink 63 mins), Craig Jones, Guy Clark, Connor Deards, Robbie Bunn, Jason Cowley (Sean Brain 74 mins), Wade Malley (John Pykett 24 mins), Reece Hewitt.

Substitutes not used: Jack Wilson, Danny Morris.

Goals: Jason Cowley (10 mins), John Pykett (68 mins), Liam Spink (70 mins [pen]) Yellow: Sam Wills (56 mins).

Referee: Mr R Ricardo (Leicester) Assistants Mr B Taylor (Burton-upon-Trent), Mr S King (Melton Mowbray) Crowd: 150 Weather: Cool, drizzle.

Sporting Man of the Match: Guy Clark