JAMIE Meddows provided a hat-trick of assists as Bromsgrove Sporting held off a second half fightback to beat Birmingham City under-21s 3-2 in a friendly.
The Rouslers produced a scintillating first-half display as Reece King struck either side of a brace from a trialist to secure a fifth straight win in pre-season at the Victoria Ground.
Sporting made the perfect start when a trialist headed home Meddows’ cross at the back post after just four minutes.
The Blues goalkeeper then made a string of saves to keep the visitors in the contest as he denied Meddows, Shay Palmer and a trialist in quick succession.
However, Paul Smith’s side eventually doubled their lead on 34 minutes when King headed in another pinpoint cross from Meddows.
And Sporting struck again four minutes later as Blues failed to deal with Meddows’ pinpoint corner and the goalscoring trialist doubled his tally for the game from close range.
The home side had chances to add to their lead before the break as King and Kieran Cook both went close while Sporting stopper Charlie Price made a good save at the other end.
Sporting substitutes Keanu Cooper and Aaron Bishop both tried their luck early in the second half as the Rouslers looked to add to their lead.
However, Birmingham made a raft of changes just past the hour mark and reduced the deficit on 64 minutes as Alvaro Ruiz Rente capped off a fine solo run from inside his own half with a fine finish into the top corner.
And Blues found the net again just two minutes later with Rente again involved as he set up a teammate to score a simple tap in from a yard out.
Sporting held on to earn a fifth consecutive pre-season win as the new season draws ever closer.
Bromsgrove continue their pre-season campaign against Solihull Moors on Saturday, July 27 with kick-off at 3pm at the Victoria Ground.
