BROMSGROVE SPORTING ended their eight-game winless run with a crucial 3-1 victory against Lowestoft Town to ease their relegation fears.
Connor Taylor, debutant Toby Raison and Will Shorrock were all on target although Sporting received their ninth red card of the season when Callum Ebanks was sent off late on.
The result means Sporting now sit 14th in the Southern League Premier Central table, seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Gavin Hurren handed debuts to four players as Raison, Dominic Perkins, Jonathan Letford and Mitchel Candlin all made their Rouslers bows.
And Bromsgrove made a blistering start when Taylor slotted home into the bottom corner after just four minutes from debutant Letford’s pass.
Sporting came close to doubling their lead when Nathan Hayward saw a header well-saved before then volleying narrowly wide.
Bromsgrove goalkeeper Ollie Taylor was then forced into his first save of the afternoon when he kept out Owen Lane’s effort.
And the visitors were reduced to 10-men on 53 minutes when Harry Knights was given his marching orders for an apparent elbow.
However, despite being a man down, Lowestoft drew level on 56 minutes when Ryan Jarvis headed home after a free-kick into the penalty area was directed into his path.
Sporting regained the lead on 74 minutes when Hereford loanee Raison fired home on his Rouslers debut after Hayward’s downward header from Shorrock’s cross.
And Bromsgrove’s ill-discipline came to the fore again on 80 minutes when substitute Ebanks was dismissed for an off the ball incident.
However, Sporting wrapped up the points in injury-time when Shorrock found the bottom corner after some excellent skill in front of 848 fans at the Victoria Ground.
Rouslers defender Charlie Wise said: “It’s a really important result for everybody, the position we were in before the game and how tight the league is, we stuck to the task well, we’re buzzing with the three points.
“I thought Toby [Raison] was brilliant, he was really confident for a young lad, he’s got good pedigree, he’s come in and did what he needed to do at the level, he talked really well.
“Dom [Perkins] was absolutely fantastic as well, both lads making their debuts for the club, it’s really positive for us that we’ve brought new players in and got real good strength in depth.
“We had a couple of really good training sessions in the week, we managed to work and some patterns and that was very evident in the game, sometimes you just need that one game to click.
“This month is a test of where the club want to go and where we want to go as players, with the fan base we’ve got, we’re one of the biggest clubs in the league, we shouldn’t be scared of any team on paper.”
Bromsgrove are next in action away at league leaders Banbury United on Saturday, February 5 with kick-off at 3pm at the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium.
