Football
Sporting slip to Knowle defeat

Buy photos » Mike Thurbon heads clear for Bromsgrove Sporting at Knowle on Saturday. Picture by David Besley.

BROMSGROVE Sporting head into Christmas on the back of another disappointing afternoon away from the Victoria Ground when beaten 3-2 at Knowle on Saturday.

The afternoon got off to the worst possible start for the visitors when Chris Conway twisted his ankle in the warm up. Debutant Mickey Stewart replaced him whilst Mike Thurbon came in for his first start at the back and Chris Mole returned in goal after 12 months out injured.

Both sides played some lively football in the opening exchanges and Sporting fashioned the first chance of the afternoon in the fourth minute but Keith Draper fired over.

The home side took the lead somewhat against the run of play in the 16th minute when Thurbon was penalised for a foul in the box and Craig Nicholls scored from the spot.

Sporting pressed in search of an equaliser and got their reward 14 minutes later when Dan Wilkes was bundled over in the box and Joe Brookes fired high into the top left hand corner.

Knowle then saw two efforts cleared off the line before regaining the lead in the 33rd minute when Steve Jones cleared out of defence and found the unmarked James Cartwright to cross for Jonathan Jackson-Beary to slot past Mole.

Nick Martin drew Sporting level for a second time five minutes before the break after Nick Harris and Draper combined for him to tap home from a few yards out.

With sleet and rain making the pitch even heavier, the second half was played at a more sedate pace.

Knowle were relying on a well-marshalled defence and quick breaks to work to their advantage and the tactic soon paid off when James Cartwright scored with a shot that hit both posts six minutes in.

Brookes and Draper had Sporting's best chances to level in the closing stages but it was not to be as they fell to sixth in the table ahead of the Boxing Day home derby with Fairfield Villa (11.30am).