TIM Flowers wants greater competition for places at Bromsgrove Sporting following a frustrating derby draw against Redditch United.
Sporting drew 1-1 with the Reds despite the visitors playing with 10-men for the majority of the contest at the Victoria Ground.
Debutant Tyrone Lewthwaite scored from the penalty spot just past the hour mark for the Rouslers after Luke Ward saw red for Redditch after 29 minutes.
However, teenager Omari Brown rescued a point for the Reds later in the second period to leave Sporting winless in their last five league matches.
And Flowers wants better competition for places and for his side to improve their fitness levels over the coming weeks.
Flowers said: “It’s disappointing [not to get three points] because we’ve created enough chances.
“We went there a few months ago and got absolutely taken to pieces. That’s not happened [this time].
“Credit to Redditch, they hung in there and were always a threat.
“Our lads have come on a bundle from a fortnight ago, it’s bittersweet, we’d love to have hung on and took the three points.
“We’ve competed, we haven’t gone under, we haven’t played on the back foot, we haven’t fallen apart.
“The minimum requirement for me is a huge work ethic and desire to try and win a football match and that was evident.
“I want there to be more competition for places and I want us to get fitter, we’ve got so much to work on but it’s a starting point.”
As tackles began to fly in, the referee brandished a straight red card to Ward after he tangled with Jordan Lyden close to the Bromsgrove penalty area.
And Sporting made the most of the extra man on 63 minutes when Lewthwaite confidently scored from 12-yards out after Lyden went to ground in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
However, the Reds equalised from the resulting corner as the ball eventually made its way to Brown who fired a shot into the left corner of the goal from 15-yards out.
Bromsgrove are next in action against Halesowen Town on Saturday, January 3 with kick-off at 3pm at The Grove.
