BROMSGROVE Sporting were beaten 4-3 in a chaotic local derby against Stourbridge on Easter Monday as three goals were scored in injury time whilst the Rouslers finished the game with nine-men.
Former Sporting favourite Jason Cowley came back to haunt his former club as the now Stourbridge man struck twice in the space of four minutes to draw Stour level late on.
That came after Prince Henry and Miro Pais had put Sporting into a two-goal lead at the break before the Rouslers lost Tom Taylor to a red card midway through the second half.
However, Farid Mikidam’s 92nd minute goal looked to have completed a sensational late turnaround for the visitors only for Jack Newell to equalise for Sporting three minutes later.
There was still time for one final twist when Stour were awarded a penalty for handball, to the confusion of many inside the Victoria Ground, with Mo Sebbeh sent off following an altercation with the linesman.
Tyler Lyttle duly converted the resulting spot kick on 99 minutes to settle a fierce local derby with Sporting now just one place and six points above the Southern League Premier Central relegation zone.
Sporting broke the deadlock on 23 minutes as Brandon Smalley broke in behind the Stourbridge defence and selflessly squared the ball to Henry who scored his first goal for the club.
And the Rouslers looked good for the points when Pais doubled Sporting’s lead on 36 minutes as the winger carried the ball the length of the Stourbridge before finishing through the legs of Charlie Price.
However, the game turned just before the hour mark when Taylor was sent off for a second bookable offence for a late challenge on Dexter Walters.
And Stourbridge made the most of the man advantage to reduce the deficit on 85 minutes as Cowley’s deflected effort found the roof of the net.
The visitors scored a bizarre equaliser on 89 minutes after Sporting keeper Ollie Taylor picked up the ball twice in his own box with the resulting indirect free-kick tapped to Cowley who blasted home.
And Stour looked to have completed a sensational seven-minute turnaround when debutant Mikidam headed in a floated cross to leave Sporting stunned.
However, the home side went straight up the other end to equalise as Newell turned the ball in at the back post from Kartell Dawkins’ initial acrobatic effort.
Yet back came Stourbridge to snatch the points after the linesman spotted a handball by Mike McGrath in the box at a corner and Lyttle kept his cool from the spot to seal a 99th minute victory for the visitors.
That came after Bromsgrove claimed an impressive point at Coalville Town two days previously as Smalley’s opener was cancelled out by Maxwell Brogan’s goal in a 1-1 draw at the Mander Cruickshank Solicitors Stadium.
Sporting host Barwell on Saturday, April 15 with kick-off at 3pm at the Victoria Ground.
