JACK Hallahan’s brace helped Bromsgrove Sporting on their way to a comprehensive 4-0 win against Hednesford Town on Tuesday night in the Southern League Challenge Cup.
Hallahan opened the scoring on 18 minutes when he tapped home from close range before doubling his tally two minutes from time with another simple finish.
That complimented strikes from Demetri Brown on 24 minutes and Miro Pais who wrapped up the scoring in injury-time at the PRG Stadium.
Victory was Bromsgrove’s third in as many matches in all competitions and their second in the space of a week against Hednesford.
The Rouslers started on the front foot when Jack Newell shot narrowly wide from 20-yards out after just six minutes.
Sporting were then somehow kept out when Pais was denied from inside the six-yard box by Hednesford keeper Jonathan Brown.
Bromsgrove eventually broke through in the 18th minute when Josh Dugmore’s effort was saved into the path of Joel Kettle who drilled the ball to Hallahan to tap home from two-yards out.
The lead was soon doubled when Brown found the net in the 24th minute as he created space in the area and powered a low effort past Brown.
Hednesford almost halved the deficit when Aaron Clayton produced a magnificent save to tip Joe Morley’s free-kick onto the bar.
Sporting introduced Emmitt Delfouneso from the bench at half-time and he almost made an immediate impact.
First, he curled wide from just outside the penalty area before then being denied by Brown from close range.
The visitors spurned a golden chance to extend their lead on 64 minutes when Pais was brought down in the box only for Cameron Ebbutt’s penalty to be saved by Brown.
However, things went from bad to worse for the home side when Ben Bailey was sent off for two bookings with 15 minutes left to play.
Bromsgrove made their advantage count when Hallahan touched home Connor Taylor’s cross in the 88th minute to bag his second of the night against his former side.
Hallahan also had a hand in Sporting’s fourth goal as he teed up Pais in the first minute of added time who rounded Brown before finishing into an empty net.
Sporting return to league action at 3pm on Saturday, October 9 when they travel to Lowestoft Town.
