BROMSGROVE Sporting responded to their opening day defeat in style after securing back-to-back wins against local rivals Alvechurch and Needham Market.
Sporting scored three second-half goals to beat Church 3-1 at the Victoria Ground in midweek with Mikey Taylor, Kieron Dawes and Ryan Edmunds all on target after Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton had briefly reduced the deficit.
That came after the Rouslers gained their first win under new boss Thomas Baillie thanks to Dan Sweeney’s 97th minute penalty away at Needham last weekend.
The two wins mean Sporting have moved up to sixth in the Southern League Premier Central table after three matches.
Bromsgrove held a minute’s applause in memory of former Rovers player and manager Bobby Hope, who died in June at the age of 78, prior to their derby clash with Church with several former players in attendance to mark the occasion.
Taylor opened the scoring on 47 minutes when he turned and fired a low effort past Leon Phillips after a clever dummy from Harvey Gregson.
And Sporting quickly doubled their lead when Dawes unleashed a stunning effort into the top corner on 51 minutes after catching Skeen-Hamilton in possession.
Alvechurch pulled a goal back on 83 minutes when Skeen-Hamilton fired an effort in off the post past Ollie Taylor before the Sporting keeper made an unbelievable save to keep out Jack Concannon’s effort which seemed destined for the top corner.
And as the game became stretched, the Rouslers wrapped up the points when Edmunds finished low into the bottom corner deep into injury time.
The result marked a first home win for the club under Baillie after claiming their first away win at the weekend.
Sweeney scored the only goal from the penalty spot with virtually the last kick of the game as he sent Needham’s Marcus Garnham the wrong way after he was fouled from behind in the box.
Sporting are next in action away at Rushall Olympic on Saturday, August 20 with kick-off at 3pm at Dales Lane.
