PERSHORE Town gave much-fancied Bromsgrove Sporting a big scare before slipping to a 3-2 home loss in the Polymac Packaging League first round on Tuesday.
Goals from Daniel Priest and Pawel Tomczak put Pershore in control against the Midland League Premier title hopefuls but the visitors hit back to deny Quentin Townsend’s men a notable scalp.
Robbie Bunn drilled home just before the break to drag the Rouslers back into the game before Connor Deards missed a penalty midway through the second half, but his blushes were spared a minute later when Sean Brain levelled the tie before Jason Cowley netted the winner with a fine strike from outside the area.
For the first 15 minutes there was little action but things did liven up as Brain saw a shot cleared off the line with the first chance of the game.
Pershore keeper Toby Wilcox then did well to keep a poor back pass from Shaun Griffiths out of his own net.
Brain, Jack Wilson and Aaron Roberts all had chances to give Sporting the lead but it was Pershore who broke the deadlock after 40 minutes when James Walker’s long ball was left by Tomczak, who knew he was in an offside position, which allowed Priest to tape home with ease.
Moments later it was 2-0 when Scott Devlin’s inch-perfect cross was headed into the net by Tomczak.
However, in the 43rd minute Bunn picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area and drove home.
In the second half Sporting had the majority of possession and in the 63rd minute they had a penalty when Cowley was fouled but Deards saw his spot-kick saved by Wilcox.
However, a minute later Brain dummied a few defenders before his angled drive drifted into the far corner to make it 2-2 and then Cowley’s classy curling effort from the edge of the box flew into top right-hand corner to complete the turnaround for Sporting.
Pershore, who were beaten 2-1 by visitors Stafford Town in Division One on Saturday despite a Jamie Clarke goal, visit Bewdley Town in the Worcestershire Senior Urn on Tuesday.