MIKE McGrath’s reign as Bromsgrove Sporting player-manager started with a 3-1 defeat away at Ilkeston Town.
Mikey Taylor equalised for Sporting on his 50th appearance for the club only for a brace from Chris O’Grady and a late goal from Remaye Campbell to condemn the Rouslers to defeat at the New Manor Ground.
The result means Sporting drop to 15th in the Southern League Premier Central table, four points above the relegation places.
And Bromsgrove made a bright start as Callum King-Harmes headed wide of the post from Taylor’s cross from the left.
However, Ilkeston took the lead on 15 minutes when veteran striker O’Grady scored a rebound after Liam Armstrong could only parry Babatomiwa Solanke’s initial effort.
And the home side went close to a second with a strike that hit the post before Bromsgrove cleared the ball off their own goalline to keep themselves in the contest.
Sporting equalised on 25 minutes when Taylor headed home from Ryan Edmunds’ inch-perfect cross after Lewis Wright had been denied by Oliver Battersby moments earlier.
Ilkeston regained the lead five minutes before half time as O’Grady latched onto Jack Thomas’s pass and placed a low finish past the despairing dive of Armstrong.
And substitute Campbell completed the scoring on 87 minutes when he slid the ball past Armstrong when one-on-one as Sporting suffered a fourth straight defeat in all competitions.
Sporting are next in action against Mickleover TONIGHT (Tuesday, October 25) with kick-off at 7.45pm at the Don Amott Arena.
