PAUL Smith ‘could not be prouder’ of his Bromsgrove Sporting players despite a 2-1 home defeat against Halesowen Town.
Sporting took the lead courtesy of Charlie Wragg’s goal only for Kieren Donnelly and Nathaniel Kelly to turn the game in Halesowen’s favour at the Victoria Ground.
That came after the Rouslers lost 3-0 away at Lowestoft Town and Smith praised the response of his players and insists he has seen positive signs in the opening weeks of the season.
Smith said: “I couldn’t be prouder of the boys, we worked really hard, we needed a response and for the large part we worked really hard.
“We just got done by the odd goal, football is about moments, it’s a tough one to take, we stuck in the game and rode out their good spell.
“It’s a great response from the Lowestoft game, the result isn’t what we wanted but I couldn’t knock the endeavour and work of the boys.
“I feel for the lads a little bit, we’ve just come up short against a very good side, this is a brand new journey but the signs have been positive.
“It’s a massive competition, you want to try and get as far as you can, I’d go as far to say we probably won’t win it this year.
“It’s important to try and get some money in the coffers and to try and get some confidence back in the group on the back of two defeats.”
Sporting broke the deadlock on 19 minutes when Wragg received Billy Shaw’s pass before producing a clinical finish into the bottom corner.
However, the Yeltz drew level just three minutes later as Donnelly finished off a flowing team move from inside the box.
The home side spurned a glorious chance to take the lead just before the half-hour mark as Wragg shot straight at Daniel Platt in the Halesowen goal from close range after good work from Aksum White.
Halesowen completed the turnaround on 36 minutes when Kelly placed a well-struck shot into the top corner from 20-yards out with Charlie Price rooted to the spot.
The Rouslers applied late pressure in search of an equaliser and sent goalkeeper Price up for a couple of corners with Sporting unable to force the ball home in the dying moments.
That came after Smith’s men lost by three goals against Lowestoft at Crown Meadow as Jake Reed netted a brace after Harvey Sayer opened the scoring.
Bromsgrove are next in action in the FA Cup away at Belper Town on Saturday, August 31 with kick-off at 3pm at Raygar Stadium.
