BROMSGROVE Rovers AFC returned to winning ways and kept up their promotion hopes with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Hopwood Swifts on Saturday, April 12, writes Neil Gordon.
First-half goals from Ash Pardoe, Sam Horton and an own goal, coupled to a Dan Gibson second-half strike, saw Rovers come from behind to secure victory and surpass their points tally for last season at Woodfield Academy, in a match soured by a late injury to Liam Chatterley.
The result sees Bromsgrove return to second in the Birmingham and District Football League Division Two table, one point behind leaders Silhill who have two games in hand.
Ryan Grundy and Brad Field were on the scoresheet for sixth-placed Hopwood who had been looking to build on back-to-back wins over Nechells Athletic and Redditch Borough.
Hampton Sports stretched their unbeaten run to five games with the 7-1 thrashing of Polesworth North Warwicks at Tamworth Road. Connor Powell hit a hat-trick to add to his strike in their 1-1 draw against Silhill last Wednesday, while Adam Priestly came off the bench and hit two.
For Polesworth it was the third time they have conceded seven goals in five straight defeats and they now occupy basement position on seven points, after swapping places with the recently improved Redditch Borough.
Previously bottom side Borough produced a shock when they came from behind to beat Bromsgrove Rovers AFC 2-1 last Tuesday at Eldorado Close, Studley, to deny the Greens the chance of going three points clear of Silhill.
Redditch picked up only their fifth point of the season with that victory courtesy of a Leo Thomas double, after Oli Whitehouse had put Bromsgrove ahead from the penalty spot.
Buoyant Borough then shared ten goals in a 5-5 thriller with Walsall Phoenix as tenth played ninth at Cherry Tree Walk. Leo Thomas added two more goals to his strikes against Bromsgrove, while Graham Robert hit a hat-trick for Walsall.
And leaders Silhill and Nechells were 2-2 at the interval before Silhill ran out 4-2 winners at Sharmans Cross Road and returned to the top of the table.
