SCOTT Adey-Linforth wants to ‘grab the opportunity’ of becoming Bromsgrove Sporting boss with both hands despite suffering a last gasp defeat in his first game in charge.
Sporting lost 1-0 away at AFC Sudbury as Oliver Peters scored a contentious winner in injury time at MEL Group Stadium.
A Sudbury player appeared to handle the ball in the build-up to the home side’s winner but Adey-Linforth refused to make excuses after the Rouslers failed to take their chances throughout.
Adey-Linforth said: “I’ve loved it [becoming first team manager], that’s the first sucker punch I’ve had, I don’t want too many of them.
“I’m excited, I’m going to grab the opportunity with both hands and work as hard as I can to get this club back up the league.
“It’s very cruel, first-half the conditions were really tough and we were up against it and we dug in.
“In the second half we knew we could go and win the game, we dominated the second half and had some really good chances.
“To lose the goal at the end was a sickener, it’s the first or second shot they had in the second half.
“It is what it is, you have to respect the referee’s decision, he hasn’t seen it and they’ve gone and scored a goal.
“We can’t make excuses, we had chances to win the game, we didn’t take them and we’ve been sucker punched.
“Performance wise it was very pleasing, we’ve just got to make sure we take those levels into the coming games.”
Adey-Linforth replaced Paul Smith in the Bromsgrove dugout following a spell in interim charge of the side which saw Sporting secure back-to-back victories.
Chances were at a premium in the first half as Sporting defender Ash Carter bravely deflected Joe Neal’s effort from the edge of the penalty area over the crossbar.
Sudbury went close at the start of the second half as Charlie Price kept out Myles Cowling’s shot at his near post.
Sporting’s first real chance of the game saw Theo Robinson break clear down the left only for the veteran striker to blaze a shot over the crossbar.
The home side then made a crucial block to deny Reece King the opening goal after Ryan Boothe squared the ball into the midfielder’s path.
Sudbury went close at the other end as Price tipped Luca Terminiello’s cross from the right onto the roof of the net at full stretch.
Sporting’s best chance of the game fell to Aksum White five minutes from time only for James Bradbrook to make a crucial save.
However, the home side stole the points in the first minute of injury time as Peters lobbed the ball over Price from the edge of the penalty area.
The ball appeared to hit Cowling on the arm just before he played Peters through only for the referee to wave away Sporting’s protests.
The Rouslers almost salvaged a point at the death as Jamie Meddows hit the crossbar moments after Bradbook denied substitute Fin Holmes from close range.
