BROMSGROVE Sporting still await their first win of the New Year after the Rouslers were held to a 2-2 draw by Bedford Town.
Sporting’s player-manager Michael McGrath opened the scoring early on only for Bedford to turn the game in their favour with goals from Connor Tomlinson and Edward Gyamfi either side of the break.
However, Jack Tolley netted just past the hour mark to draw the Rouslers level and earn the home side a share of the spoils at the Victoria Ground.
The result means Sporting sit 13th in the Southern League Premier Central table.
And the Rouslers raced into the lead on three minutes when McGrath finished well from close range from Miro Pais’s acrobatic pass after Bedford failed to deal with Brandon Smalley’s initial free-kick.
Bedford spurned a glorious chance to equalise when striker Jermaine Howe blazed an effort over the crossbar when one-on-one with Sporting goalkeeper Ollie Taylor.
However, the visitors eventually drew level on 21 minutes when Tomlinson turned in Sam Dreyer’s driven shot at the back post after Bromsgrove failed to clear a corner from the left.
Play was stopped on 23 minutes for a minute’s applause in memory of former Sporting player Cody Fisher as the Victoria Ground came together as one in tribute to the defender.
A nasty head clash between McGrath and Jack Newell just before half time resulted in the latter being stretchered off with a suspected concussion and taken to hospital before he was later discharged having escaped serious injury.
And Bedford completed the turnaround on 48 minutes as Gyamfi slammed the ball into the bottom left corner from Tomlinson’s square pass after the winger broke into the box and cut inside of two defenders.
However, Sporting equalised on 62 minutes when substitute Tolley scored with his first touch as he headed home from Pais’s perfect cross from the left
Bedford had the better of the chances in the remaining half an hour but Sporting held firm to come away with a point.
Sporting are next in action at home to AFC Rushden and Diamonds on Saturday, January 21 with kick-off at 3pm at the Victoria Ground.
